HVAC Sizing
HVAC Sizing
(OP)
I am interested in sizing a home air conditioning / heat pump system. Is there any standard information I can get inexpensivly to do the sizing of equipment and duct work?
INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS Come Join Us!Are you an
Engineering professional? Join Eng-Tips Forums!
*Eng-Tips's functionality depends on members receiving e-mail. By joining you are opting in to receive e-mail. Posting GuidelinesJobs |
|
RE: HVAC Sizing
Please visit www.ashrae.org to get information how to buy these books
RE: HVAC Sizing
RE: HVAC Sizing
Local weather is important when sizing heating and cooling equipmnet.
A rule of thumb that is used in the HVAC industry is approximateley 400-450 CFM/Square foot. CFM (cubic feet per minute). First calcualte the total square foot area of you home. Then divide that value by 400 CFM/Square foot to attain a conservitave estimate of the cooling tonnage that your heat pump equipment will have to provied.
When sizing your heating equipmet in California we use 30 BTU/square foot.
Multiply your total square foot area by 30 and this will give you your total heating capacity [Btu].
For a residential aplication you should consider a natural gas furnace with an A-frame coils w/ a condensing unit for cooling. If natural gas heating is available it will save you money on your utility bill. You should also make sure that the EER (energy efficiency ratio) on your condensing unit is as high as you can afford to purchace. A standard unit has an EER of 9, while a high efficiecy unit has an EER of 11 or 12. The energy efficient unit will cost more upfront, but it will save you momey for the entire life span of the equipment.
Refer to the DOE (department of Energy) website to get more details on estimating the HVAC equipment for your house.
RE: HVAC Sizing
William H. Bernhart, P.E.
RE: HVAC Sizing