THE BENEFITS OF

SYSTEM-BASED DESIGN

By: James Pegues

Senior HVAC Systems Engineer, Carrier Software Systems
Carrier Corporation
Syracuse, New York

April, 2002
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Introduction Shortcomings of the
In 1993 Carrier incorporated system-based Traditional Approach
design features in its Hourly Analysis Program It is important to note the traditional approach
(HAP) software. At the time, system-based does not explicitly consider the type of HVAC
design was a new concept that allowed the system being designed. This approach is
computer to do a more complete and accurate job acceptable when designing simple CAV or VAV
of sizing equipment than the traditional load systems. However, when an HVAC system with
estimating approach. Ten years later, this special features, components or aspects of
approach still yields significant benefits to operation is involved, the traditional approach
HVAC system designers because of the has two important flaws.
productivity advantage it offers. And even today
it still serves to differentiate HAP from other First, it leaves a gap between what the engineer
load estimating and system design software on needs to design the system fully, and what the
the market. program provides as sizing data. Different types
of HVAC systems contain different components
This paper explains system-based design and its which each need to be sized. Further, different
benefits. First the paper discusses how traditional types of HVAC systems require different sizing
system design methods work and the procedures. Therefore defining the system type is
shortcomings of the traditional approach. Next, necessary to determine the components to be
the concept of system-based design is explained, sized and the procedures to be used. The
and the benefits it offers are explored. following examples illustrate this point:

How Traditional System • A single zone CAV system requires that the
supply diffusers, supply fan and the central
Design Methods Work cooling and heating coils be sized. The
Many computer programs used for HVAC supply fan airflow is equal to the required
system design are based on a traditional airflow for the single zone.
approach that manual methods use. First, the
engineer inputs weather data, information about • A VAV Reheat system serving multiple
the building construction, internal loads and zones requires that supply diffusers, the
layout, and HVAC sizing parameters. The latter supply fan, the central cooling coil and the
includes such things as thermostat setpoints, the terminal reheat coils be sized. The supply
required supply temperature and the required fan is sized for the diversified peak airflow
outdoor air ventilation rate. Using this data the to zones, rather than the sum of zone
program then: airflows. The terminal reheat coils are sized
using a procedure that is different from
• Computes zone sensible cooling loads for all sizing a central heating coil.
zones for a series of design cooling months.
• A VAV Fan Powered Mixing Box system
• Identifies the maximum zone sensible load serving multiple zones requires that supply
for each zone in order to calculate required diffusers, mixing box terminals, the supply
zone airflow rates and the required supply fan and the central cooling coil be sized.
fan airflow rate. Unlike other systems, the terminal
equipment for this system includes both a
• Calculates central cooling coil loads for the fan and a reheat coil, both of which must be
months being considered in order to identify sized. Sizing procedures differ slightly
the maximum cooling coil load. depending on whether a series mixing box
or parallel mixing box terminal is used.
• If the system also provides heating,
calculations are performed to determine the • A 2-Fan Dual Duct VAV system serving
maximum heating coil load. multiple zones requires that supply diffusers,
mixing box terminals, the cold deck supply
This procedure yields data useful for sizing fan, the hot deck supply fan, the cold deck
terminal diffusers, the supply fan, the central cooling coil and the hot deck heating coil all
cooling coil, and the central heating coil. be sized. This system contains a unique
configuration of components not found in
other systems. Procedures tailored to this
The Benefits of System-Based Design
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 type of system must be used to properly size with baseboard heat, Series Fan Powered
the equipment. Mixing Box, Dual Duct VAV, etc...

The second problem with the traditional Next, the system-based design computer
approach involves accuracy. If the traditional program calculates loads and sizes system
approach is used to size a system such as series components:
Fan-Powered Mixing Box or 2-Fan Dual Duct,
additional hand calculations will be required to 1. Zone Load Calculation. The program first
size components not addressed by the calculates hourly zone sensible cooling
calculation. These additional hand calculations loads for all zones for the design cooling
make the design more difficult, more time months being considered.
consuming and prone to error. In more complex
situations, sizing is often approximated to save 2. Zone Airflow Sizing. The program then
time. Thus, the traditional approach plus hand identifies maximum zone sensible loads in
calculations is often less accurate than a order to determine required zone supply
computerized approach that considers system airflow rates and required central fan airflow
type and does a complete job. rates. For some systems, such as fan
powered mixing box systems, special
aspects of system operation may influence
the required airflow rates.
System-Based Design and
How It Works 3. System Simulation. Once system airflows
The system-based design approach considers the have been determined, the program
unique features of the HVAC system being simulates the hour-by-hour operation of the
designed and then tailors the load estimating and HVAC system and all its components to
sizing procedures to that system. It can therefore determine loads for all coils in the system.
provide specific, accurate sizing information for This mathematical simulation considers the
each component of the system. interplay of component operation for the
specific system being studied. Simulations
If a Series Fan Powered Mixing Box system is are performed for the range of design
being designed, for example, the system-based cooling months specified by the designer
approach will provide the information necessary and for the heating design condition.
to size the terminal mixing boxes, their fans and
heating coils. It will also consider the special 4. Coil Sizing. Finally, the program searches
operating features of the system to determine results of system simulation to determine
accurate primary supply fan and primary cooling maximum required size for each component
coil sizes. In this way sizing methods and output coil in the system.
data are customized to each specific system type.

By providing system-specific sizing data, the Benefits of System-Based

system-based design approach can bridge the gap
between what an engineer needs and what a Design
computerized system design program provides. The major benefit of the system-based design
approach, of course, is that it gives the engineer
How It Works. The information a designer must exactly what is needed to design a system.
supply to initiate the design process is similar to Specific sizing data is provided instead of raw
the traditional approach. The engineer must: material for further hand calculations. The result
is increased productivity for the designer because
• Input weather data. the computer is being put to work more
effectively. The computer does a complete job of
• Input building construction, internal heat system sizing, not a partial job.
gain and layout information.
A related benefit is that the system-based
• Define the HVAC system. In addition to approach does a more accurate and therefore
thermostat setpoints and sizing criteria, the reliable job of generating sizing data. This is
engineer specifies exactly what type of because sizing calculations consider the specific
HVAC system is involved and its attributes. operating nature of the system, not the features
For example, it could be VAV Reheat, VAV of a simple, generic system. Further, the

The Benefits of System-Based Design

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approach can evaluate more operating conditions
than can be checked by hand, so that the
approach is more thorough and comprehensive.

Finally, because detailed, dynamic system

simulations are part of this approach, the method
can potentially be used to investigate the effect
on sizing of such devices and controls as:

• Outdoor air ventilation heat reclaim devices.

• Outdoor air economizers.

• Active dehumidification and humidification

controls.

• Night-time free cooling controls.

Previously, such controls have only been

evaluated in energy analysis simulations to
determine effects on operating costs. But each
can also have an effect on sizing which in turn
can have a significant effect the first cost of the
system.

CONCLUSION
Even though the concept is no longer brand new,
system-based design still represents a promising
advance in the field of HVAC system design. It
offers improvements in productivity and
accuracy, and opens new avenues of
investigation to the designer in the pursuit of the
optimal design. Look for it when choosing your
HVAC design tools.

The Benefits of System-Based Design

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