HVAC Basics

Get the basics about HVAC systems

Air Cleaner – a device designed for the purpose of removing airborne impurities such as dust, gases, vapors, fumes, and smoke. An air cleaner includes air washers, air filters, electrostatic precipitors, and charcoal filters.

Air Cooler A factory-assembled unit including elements, whereby the temperature of air passing through the unit is reduced.

Air Conditioner is a device for processing and moving air in air conditioning systems. There are separate air conditioners (with built-in refrigeration machines and electric air heaters), non-autonomous (supplied with cold and heat from external sources) and door closers (receiving heat and cold from external sources, and air from the central air conditioner).

Air Heating – the system of heating of premises with hot air. Includes: air heaters, in which air can be heated by hot water, steam (in air heaters), heat released from the combustion of various types of fuel (in the air heaters), and also by electricity: air ducts supplying air to the heated premises; Grids, through which air is supplied to heated rooms and taken for delivery to the air heater; shut-off valves in ducts. When the air heater is located directly in the heated room, air ducts, grilles and valves may not be fitted.

Chiller is a refrigerating machine, usually with a built-in hydraulic module (pumping group), designed to organize a chiller-fan-coil type air-conditioning system with an intermediate coolant / coolant (water or glycol solution).

Condenser A heat-transfer device that receives high-pressure vapor at temperatures above that of the cooling medium, such as air or water, to which the condenser passes latent heat from the refrigerant, causing the refrigerant vapor to liquefy.

Dehumidifier is a device for lowering the humidity of a room due to the effective absorption of excess moisture.

Fan coil unit  is an indoor unit of a chiller-fan coil system containing a heat exchanger and a fan. Operates on water or glycol supplied from the chiller.

Fan Diffuser – A short tube is connected to the fan casing to reduce the air velocity at the outlet of the fan and the partial conversion of the dynamic pressure to the static (diffusive effect). There are pyramidal, conical and cranked diffusers. Particularly important are the diffusers for efficient and economical operation of axial fans, in which, at a maximum efficiency, the dynamic pressure at the wheel outlet is 40-50% of the full head of the fan. With an incorrectly selected diffuser, part of the dynamic head can be lost, which reduces the efficiency of the installation.

Freon is the cooling agent used in most air conditioning systems. an organic compound of fluorine and fluorine chlorine derivatives of the simplest aliphatic hydrocarbons. These are gaseous or liquid products. It is used as a cold carrier in refrigeration equipment.

Gas heater –  a space heater used to heat a room or outdoor area by burning natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas, propane or butane.

Heat Exchanger is a technical device in which heat exchange is carried out between two environments having different temperatures.

Heat Pump is a device for transferring heat energy from a source of low-potential thermal energy (with a low temperature) to a consumer (heat carrier) with a higher temperature. Thermodynamically, the heat pump is similar to a refrigerating machine. However, if in the refrigeration machine the main purpose is to produce the cold by taking heat from any volume by the evaporator, and the condenser discharges the heat into the environment, then in the heat pump the picture is reversed. The condenser is a heat exchanger that generates heat for the consumer, and the evaporator is a heat exchanger utilizing low-grade heat: secondary energy resources and (or) non-traditional renewable energy sources.

Industrial Refrigerator – is a refrigeration equipment designed for low-temperature processing of food products by creating and maintaining inside the object a specified operating cooling mode, including temperature, humidity, speed for the cooling environment, and sometimes may include pressure and gas composition. Read more

Infrared Heaters – designed for local heating of the surfaces of objects by radiation: long-wave (infrared) heater emits a long-wave thermal component of the solar spectrum.

Multi-split-system – an air-conditioning system consisting of one outdoor and several indoor units. Each indoor unit is connected to an external unit by a separate route with a refrigerant.

Refrigerant is a working substance of air conditioning systems used to transfer heat energy, which changes its phase state (liquid-gas-liquid). The refrigerant is freon, the most commonly used (ozone-friendly) R410A.

Split system – air conditioning system, consisting of two blocks: external and internal. An external (outdoor) unit is installed on or near the wall outside the room or the place where the air conditioner is installed, it houses a compressor, a coil capacitor and an expansion coil or capillary tube. The indoor unit contains a cooling coil, a long fan and an air filter.

Water heater (boiler) – a tank for heating water in the system of hot water supply. Water can be heated by means of hot tubes inside the boiler – hot water circulates in a closed circuit, which is heated, for example, with a furnace. Boilers can also be heated by means of an electric heater or a gas burner.

Ventilation – regulated air exchange in the rooms, favorable for a person; a set of technical means providing such air exchange.

VRF-systems – a kind of central air conditioning systems. They can consist of several external and a large number of indoor units, united by a single control system and a general wiring of freon pipelines. The indoor units can be removed from the outside at distances of up to 200 meters and in height up to 90 meters. This allows you to place outdoor devices on the roof, in the courtyard or in another small place. VRV systems are characterized by a high degree of automation, durability and low operating costs.