Air distribution systems: why they are important for companies

Ventilation air distribution systems have been very well accepted in the construction of new low-energy buildings on our market. Renovations have also brought with them a lasting improvement in thermal performance for decades. High-quality ductwork is important not only in single-family homes, but especially in larger facilities that house many businesses. Large numbers of people move through them, and when combined with the technical equipment required for the business, air quality is a particularly important issue.

In common practice, it is common for objects to be filled with many technical improvements to speed up work and make entire processes more efficient. However, it is questionable whether the more demanding interventions will continue to create an optimal indoor microclimate in the long term.

The air distribution system includes ductwork, piping and related components for heating, ventilation andair conditioning. They provide fresh air to maintain adequate indoor air quality while providing conditioned air to compensate for heating or cooling loads. Many of their components must function in unison to properly maintain the desired conditions. They consume relatively large amounts of energy, so using smart operating strategies and best maintenance practices can significantly reduce energy consumption.

The function of the building and the use determine what indoor air quality standards are to be met. Proper air quality increases comfort, improves room hygiene and increases productivity. Industrial air distribution systems help control pollutants generated by manufacturing processes by displacing contaminated and polluted air. This reduces health risks for employees and ensures better indoor air quality.

What are air ducts and how do they work?

Air distribution systems are mechanical air distribution systems that use air as a means of transport. They can be used to heat, cool, ventilate or disinfect any environment. These systems tend to be designed to provide fresh, clean and controlled air in locations that require specific environmental conditions. Accurate design and proper installation of air distribution systems are essential to ensure efficient and reliable long-term operation.

Types of air ducts

Air distribution systems include a wide range of systems designed to distribute and treat indoor air to provide a comfortable, healthy and safe environment for occupants. There are different types of air distribution systems, each with specific features and functions.

Air conditioning systems

Air conditioning systems are designed to control the temperature, humidity and air quality inside buildings. They can be used to heat, cool and ventilate the environment depending on the specific requirements.

Ventilation systems

Ventilation systems ensure sufficient ventilation of interior spaces. An important parameter is the hygiene standards as well as the actual air exchange within the building. Controlled ventilation generally regulates the humidity and temperature inside the building, thereby increasing the comfort and convenience of the people inside. Of course, windows, doors and any other openings are also ventilation systems.

Air disinfection systems

Sanitation systems are usually designed to provide a healthy indoor environment by eliminating pathogens and improving air quality. In this case, different types of filters are used.

Categories of air distribution systems

Air distribution systems commonly fall into two broad categories. These are constant volume and variable volume systems.

A constant system operates at a constant air velocity. Constant volume units can be used in single zone or multi-zone applications. A single-zone system provides ventilation and cooling of the conditioned space. Zones requiring heating may have a heating element in the end unit, while some rely on a completely separate independent heating system. A dual duct system uses a single fan to move air through both cooling and heating coils in the air handler, distributing air through separate hot and cold ducts. Another constant-volume system is a multizone unit. A multizone unit delivers air to several zones from a centrally located air handling unit.

In a variable volume system, the air from the air conditioner varies depending on the intake of the supply air by the terminal units. The supply air fan is controlled to maintain a set value of static duct pressure. In response to the duct static pressure sensor, the amount of supply air is controlled in one of three ways, namely by bypass dampers, supply vanes either in front of or inside the supply fan enclosure, or a variable speed drive. Variable volume systems provide ventilation and cooling, usually through a single duct system.

Configuration devices for air treatment

Air handling units differ in how the air is propelled through the coils. From this point of view, we distinguish between flow-through units, blow-through units or then complex built-in systems.

For the air quality to be truly sufficient, essential components are needed to ensure air distribution. These are fans, coils, filters or ducts.

Fans

Fans move air by pushing it through motor-driven impellers. Pushing the air increases the pressure. When the air is compressed, it is slightly heated by friction as it passes through the fan. More heat is added if the fan motor is placed in the air stream. The air temperature may increase by 1 to 5 degrees or more in the short term, depending on the operating pressure of the system. The most common fans used in air handling systems are centrifugal and axial fans.

In centrifugal fans the air enters the fan casing through the rotor, rotates 90°, is trapped by the spiral casing and is pushed through the fan discharge by the impellers .With axial fans, the air moves in a straight path over the propeller-type rotors to create an air stream.

Exchanges

Heat exchangers transfer energy between the supply air stream and the energy transfer medium. Most often this is water, steam or refrigerant. Most heat exchangers are made of copper tubes arranged in rows, specially designed to transfer the large amount of energy required.

Filters

Air filters are used to prevent harmful airborne particles from entering the ductwork. It is a form of protection for fans, coils and other important components, but mainly it is a protection of the indoor climate. Filters have different levels of filtration and are classified based on applicable standards.

Pipeline

The piping is usually made of galvanized steel and is usually wrapped with thermal insulation to reduce heat loss. As such, the piping should be short and as straight as possible. Damage at bends should be avoided. Regardless of the material, however, proper sealing of the pipes is essential to prevent unwanted leaks. For smaller buildings, plastic pipes specially manufactured for HVAC ductwork are also used.

Conclusion

Air distribution systems for controlled ventilation with air treatment are nothing new in the world. The range, variability and efficiency of individual systems are constantly evolving. Moreover, both in the commercial and industrial sector, properly adjusted air handling systems bring considerable benefits. Evaluating the systems in terms of installation space, investment costs or energy cost savings is only a fraction of the benefits that can be achieved in terms of return on investment. This is no small investment and that’s why you should turn to the market expert, which has been Slovklima for many years .