Trane Engineers Newsletter - Mar2021
Trane Engineers Newsletter - Mar2021
Trane Engineers Newsletter - Mar2021
Figure 1. Heat output, flow, and stem travel characteristics of equal-percentage valve
90 90 90
80 80 80
70 70 70
Heat output %
Heat output %
60 60 60
Flow %
50 50 50
40 40 40
30 30 30
20 20 20
10 10 10
0 0 0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Flow % Stem travel % Stem travel %
(A) (B) (C)
Image source: 2020 ASHRAE Handbook of Fundamentals
2 Trane Engineers Newsletter providing insights for today’s HVAC system designer
Figure 2. Effect of oversized valve on coil output
Hydronic Modeling
100%
resulting
If assuming a constant pressure drop heat output
Heat emission
Designer determine flows and
flow
pressures at the design point. Comfort oversized
valve
applications in buildings are unlikely to
have all terminals at design load at the
same time, so there is some diversity
embedded in these calculations. While
we size pipes for full load, the pressure desired equal
percentage flow
at any point in the system will vary characteristic
Δ 10% stroke
Δ 5 PSID
5 PSID - 70 PSID
30 repeatable
A pressure-independent valve has a nonlinear
Δ 10
stroke
or
10 PSID - 90 PSID
range
linear valve-stem-position to flow 20 repeatable
nonlinear
relationship across 85 percent or more range
10
of its throttling range. For every
percent change in valve stem position, 0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
the same amount of change in flow
rate is created (Figure 4). % valve stem open
Process gain of pressure-independent control valves is constant over >85 percent of stem travel and
pressure differential (5 to 70 PSID or 10 to 90 PSID)
providing insights for today’s HVAC system designer Trane Engineers Newsletter 3
Pandemic responsive designs
Energy and Cost Energy
In response to renewed concerns Implications of More
about pathogen transmission through To quantify the potential energy benefit
HVAC systems, designers are
Precise Control of precise flow control, consider an
developing air-conditioning systems example coil designed to produce a
Operational differences exist between
with a much broader range of airflow 55°F dry-bulb leaving air temperature.
and loads. A mode of operation could pressure-dependent and pressure-
With pressure-dependent valves, flow is
deliver 100 percent outdoor air for the independent valves. We can quantify
often erratic. Reasons for erratic control
dilution and relocation of airborne the impact in terms of energy and first
include over-sized valves, poorly tuned
pathogens, while normal modes would costs.
gains, dirty coils, and higher-than-
bring in less outdoor air and recirculate
the rest. Air-handlers designed for this With a pressure-dependent valve, as design inlet pressures. As a result,
mode will have a dramatic difference in the pressure in the system changes, discharge air temperature deviates from
air- and water-flow rates in this mode the flow through the valve changes. By setpoint. Figure 6 shows a simplified
versus a normal mode of operation. incorporating an integral automatic view of discharge air temperature over
This is an excellent application for balancing component, pressure- time. If this cycle held through for an
industrial-quality, pressure-
independent valves compensate for entire day, the average discharge air
independent control valves that offer temperature would be 55°F.
pressure changes and maintain a
100:1 turndown while maintaining +/-
0.1°F off the coil. constant flow over a wide range of
Initially, this average discharge air
pressures. Pressure-independent
temperature looks good, however, more
Not only the flow, but also the pressure valves essentially create perfect valve
flow is used during the periods below
in the system is going to change authority and have valve action that is
setpoint than is saved when making
dramatically in these different proportional to flow (see Figure 5). This
warmer temperature air. This is due to
operating modes. The old standby means that control corrections for
design for this sort of challenge (1/3 – the non-linear relationship between coil
under and overflowing the load
2/3rd valves) won’t work very well. flow and heat output (Figure 1). To fully
(hunting) are unlikely. Instability from
compensate for the coil non-linear
hunting alters coil performance, as the
And, it’s not just the coil in the dual- relationship, as well as the pressure
coil moves away from steady-state,
mode air-handling unit that’s affected. drop, the control gains need to be
There is a case to be made that ALL tested conditions. It undoubtedly leads
programmed specifically to
control valves in such a chilled water to less comfort, as the loads are
system need to be PICVs—the valves subsequently over- and under-served.
on the normal AHUs would benefit
even more than those associated with
the ventilation system. Figure 5. Pressure-independent versus conventional valve
4 Trane Engineers Newsletter providing insights for today’s HVAC system designer
the pressure differentials. What Figure 6. Effect of erratic valve control on deficit/surplus flow
typically happens is the coil over and 176%
undershoots the desired capacity and
the valve “hunts” around the controlled
variable— whether that’s discharge air 110%
temperature in VAV, or room
temperature in constant volume or on-
59°F 58%
off control air systems.
providing insights for today’s HVAC system designer Trane Engineers Newsletter 5
delta-T falls below design, more or exceed the required delta-T. As coils
chillers than necessary will operate for Installation Cost are designed with increased delta-T,
portions of the cooling season. And in Differences they are more sensitive to changes in
the case of a water-cooled system, flow, thus increasing the importance of
adding a chiller also typically means an One of the perceived drawbacks of providing stable flow to each device.
additional condenser water pump and pressure-independent control valves is
cooling tower. the upfront cost difference compared Costs for characterized ball valves
to traditional pressure-dependent • valve
valves. The valve alone will likely be • balancing valve
more expensive than a traditional
• balancing contractor
Stability Essential for High control valve; however, pressure-
independent valves eliminate most • strainer
Delta-T Systems • commissioning
balancing valves and the need for
As systems push for higher delta-T system balancing. Some Costs for pressure-independent valves
designs, the coils become more manufacturers of pressure-
independent valves do not require • valve
sensitive to changes in flow. A 16°F
delta-T coil uses 25 percent less flow strainers upstream of the valve, though • limited commissioning
than a 12°F delta-T coil to move the strainers somewhere in the system are
same amount of heat. That means needed to protect the coils and other
every gallon becomes more important, components.
and stability becomes more critical. Electronic versus
Also consider the ability to design for
Mechanical Pressure-
and deliver systems with higher delta-
T. As the system design delta-T Independent Control Valves
increases, equipment to accommodate
the distribution flow can be downsized, Table 1 summarizes some of the
including the control valves, piping, differences between the leading
insulation, structural steel (pipe electronic and mechanical valves.
hangars, etc.), pumps, VFDs and
electrical service. This opportunity is
directly related to the ability to achieve
6 Trane Engineers Newsletter providing insights for today’s HVAC system designer
Summary Resources
Hydronic systems perform better with [1] ASHRAE. ASHRAE Handbook—HVAC
pressure-independent control valves Systems and Equipment, Chapter 46 (Valves).
Atlanta. 2020.
and unlock opportunities to reduce
first costs through comprehensive [2] ANSI/ASHRAE/IES, Standard 90.1-2016,
system design. Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-rise
Residential Buildings. Atlanta: ASHRAE. 2016.
Designing for (and achieving) high
[3] Peterson, K. “Considerations for Selecting
delta-T systems with pressure-
Modulating Control Valves”, ASHRAE Journal.
independent control is what should be ASHRAE. February 2017.
expected from chilled-water systems.
The lower flow rates mean much of the [4] Taylor, S. “Practical Applications for Pressure
equipment can be downsized, with Independent Control Valves”, ASHRAE
Transactions. ASHRAE. 2018.
better system energy performance.
Systems that operate well need fewer [5] Trane. Comprehensive Chilled-Water System
or smaller chillers and lower flows Design product catalog. APP-PRC006*-EN.
mean smaller control valves, pipe 2021.
sizes, insulation, structural steel
[6] Murphy, J. “Selecting Chilled-Water Coils for
(hangars, supports, etc.), pump sizes, ASHRAE 90.1’s New 15°F Delta T
VFDs and electrical service. Requirement”. Engineers Newsletter. ADM-
APN070-EN. Trane. 2019.
Designing this way requires a system
approach, but it extends far beyond the [7] Taylor, S. (2017) “Fundamentals of Design and
Control of Central Chilled-Water Plants”,
basic “valve to valve” comparison. ASHRAE. www.ashrae.org.
When designers can take advantage of
the available technology, it allows for a [8] ASHRAE/IESNA/AIA/USGBC/USDOE,50%
much larger savings opportunity. Advanced Energy Design Guide for Large
Hospitals. Atlanta. ASHRAE. 2012.
Careful consideration of the costs of
the entire system installation should [9] ASHRAE/IESNA/AIA/USGBC/USDOE. 50%
make their inclusion in hydronic Advanced Energy Design Guide for K-12
systems first cost neutral. If there is any School Buildings. Atlanta. ASHRAE. 2014.
additional cost, the benefits to system
[10]ASHRAE. ASHRAE GreenGuide: Design,
performance are significant enough to Construction, and Operation of Sustainable
make the case for using pressure Buildings. Atlanta. ASHRAE. 2012.
independence. It’s difficult to overstate
the value of having a properly
operating system at all load conditions,
and pressure-independent control
valves are key for successful system
operation.
By Susanna Hanson, Trane. To subscribe or view
previous issues of the Engineers Newsletter visit
trane.com. Send comments to [email protected].
providing insights for today’s HVAC system designer Trane Engineers Newsletter 7
Introducing myPLV® Design Tool
Wellsphere™ Because every situation is unique, the myPLV chiller performance evaluation tool
offers a quick and simple option for chiller economic comparisons.
Wellsphere™ from Trane® is a holistic
approach to building wellness. It’s a For more information, visit www.trane.com/myPLV
multi-disciplinary collective of experts
using world class technologies and
services to improve the viability of your
building
For more information, visit 2021 Engineers Newsletter Live! program schedule
www.trane.com/wellsphere
MARCH
State-of-the-Art Chilled-Water Systems. When designed using today’s industry
guidance, chilled water systems provide building owners and operators with
flexibility to meet first cost and efficiency objectives, simplify maintenance and
operation, and exceed energy code minimum requirements. Design principles
Just released!
that right-size equipment and minimize system power draw are inherently simpler
updates to the June 2020
to control, and lead to high efficiency and reduced utility costs.
Engineers Newsletter on COVID-19!
NOVEMBER
ASHRAE Standard 15. ASHRAE Standard 15, Safety Standard for Refrigeration
Systems, focuses on the safe design, construction, installation, and operating of
refrigerating systems. This ENL will overview the 2019 version of this standard
and explain how its requirements apply to various types of refrigerating systems,
including new requirements for systems with Class A2L (lower flammability)
refrigerants.
Contact your local Trane office for more information or visit Trane.com/ENL.
Trane – by Trane Technologies (NYSE: TT), a global climate innovator – creates comfortable, energy efficient
indoor environments through a broad portfolio of heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems and controls,
services, parts and supply. For more information, please visit trane.com or tranetechnologies.com.
Trane believes the facts and suggestions presented here to be accurate. However, final design and application decisions are
your responsibility. Trane disclaims any responsibility for actions taken on the material presented.
All trademarks referenced in this document are the trademarks of their respective owners.