HVAC SYSTEMS

CHAPTER 2
OVERVIEW OF AC SYSTEMS
 TYPE OF AC SYSTEM

Type Application Capacity (RT)

Split/Multi Split/VRF Small room/space < 5 for S/MS

5 – 45 for VRV
Air-Cooled Packaged Medium space and 5 – 35
Unit difficult to get water
supply
Water-Cooled Packaged Medium space 10 – 55
Unit
Air-Cooled Chilled Water Medium - large 40 – 250
System space/building
Water-Cooled Chilled Large space/building 80 – 1,000
Water System
District Cooling System Extra large > 2,000
space/multiple building
 AIR-CONDITIONERS/CHILLERS

Window unit
Split unit
 VRV/VRF
Multi-split unit
 WC packaged unit

AC packaged unit
AC chiller WC chiller
District Cooling & Thermal Energy Storage
Chilled water storage tank Ice cell

Ice ball storage tank

 Advantage of TES

Chilled water storage tank Ice cell

 Direct & Indirect Expansion

3 Condenser 2

Expansion Compressor
valve

Refrigerant
flows

4 1

Evaporator

Incoming Treated
air air

DX system: Split unit, multi-split unit, VRV/VRF, air-cooled

packaged
Split, multi-split, VRV/VRF

Copper pipe
Indoor unit
Outdoor unit (inside the
room)
Each of the indoor unit can
be individually controlled
(on/off, setpoint T, etc…)
AC packaged unit

Ducting
Outdoor & indoor unit
are ‘combined’ into Room
packaged unit
 Cooling water
flows

Cooling tower

3 Condenser 2

Expansion Compressor
valve

Refrigerant
flows Make-up
water
4 1 flows

Evaporator

Incoming Treated
air air

DX system: Water-cooled packaged

WC packaged unit

Condenser
Outdoor & indoor unit
Ducting
Cooling tower water piping are ‘combined’ into Room
packaged unit
 3 Condenser 2

Expansion Compressor
valve

Refrigerant
flows

4 1

Evaporator
Chilled
water
flows

Cooling coil
Incoming (AHU/FCU) Treated
air air

Indirect expansion system: Air-cooled chiller

*Mini AC chiller

Non-ducted
FCU
Mini chiller Chilled water pipe
(‘indoor unit’
(‘outdoor unit’)
inside the
room)
AC chiller

AHU/ducted
Chiller Chilled water Ducting
pipe FCU Room
(‘outdoor unit’)
(‘indoor unit’)
 Cooling water
Cooling
flows
tower

Make-up
3 2 water tank
Condenser

Expansion Compressor
valve

Refrigerant
flows
Make-up
4 1 water
flows

Evaporator
Chilled Indirect expansion
water
flows system: Water-
cooled chiller

Cooling coil
Incoming (AHU/FCU) Treated
air air
WC chiller

Chiller
Cooling Condenser Chilled water AHU/FCU Ducting
water pipe (‘outdoor pipe Room
tower (‘indoor unit’)
unit’)
HVAC SYSTEMS INTEGRATION
 AIRSIDE (INDOOR UNIT)

Ceiling concealed
Wall mounted

Ceiling mounted

Ceiling cassette
 Air Handling Unit (AHU)

Mixing
chamber Cooling
coil

return air supply air

(RA) (SA)

outside air
(OA)
 Fan Coil Unit (FCU)

FCU is a small-scale air handling unit with circulation blower, cooling/heating

coil, filter and appropriate controls normally used to serve only one room.

Cooling coil
 Supply grill

Return grill Air louver

 Damper

Reducer Elbow
 COOLING TOWER

[hot refrigerant gas

from compressor]

[cold liquid
refrigerant to
expansion
valve]

Make-up water
Mechanical draft CT Natural draft CT
 OTHER TERMINOLOGY

1. Direct expansion vs indirect expansion

2. Single zone vs multi zone
3. VAV vs CAV
4. Air-cooled vs water-cooled
5. Conventional vs inverter
EXAMPLE OF INSTALLATION
Old system
1. Water-cooled chiller with TES
AHU for large space
FCU for small space

2. Additional split/multisplit unit

installed at several locations

New system
Conventional water-cooled chiller
1. Water-cooled chiller connected
to several AHU for Main Hall

2. VRV system for office, surau etc

1. Air-cooled chiller
2. Additional VRV system/split unit
for specific hall/office etc
1. DCS (central plant) with TES
AHU for large space
FCU for small space

2. Separate system for PFI

buildings
Mostly split unit