B.SC.Mech.Eng.,LEEDAPBD+C,SeniorMechanical
ManageratDarAlHandasahAirportProjects
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#HVAC:FiveeasystepstoestimateExternalStaticPressure
dropinHVACDuctsusingEqualFrictionMethod.
Oct22,2015
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Introduction
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EstimatingExternalPressuredropinductsisnotarocketscienceanditcanbedone
easilyinordertoselecttheHVACequipment'sfan(AirHandlingUnit,Fan,Heat
RecoveryUnit,FanCoilUnit...etc).andaccordingly,wecanestimateaswellthepower
consumptionofsuchunits.
WhatisExternalStaticPressureinHVACDucts?
ExternalStaticPressureisbasicallyandsimplythepressurerequiredbyafan(which
islocatedinsideanyHVACequipment)todelivertherequired/designairflowrate
andtoallowairtoreachfromtheHVACequipmenttotheIndexpointsoaircanbe
dischargedwiththerequiredairflowrateevenfromthefurthestairoutlet(Diffuseror
airgrille...etc).
Todothat,thefanpressurehastoovercomealllosesinthedirectionofairflow(on
theSuctionandDischargesideoftheequipment)including,butnotlimitedto,
Volumecontroldampers,FireDampers,pressuredropinairoutlets,ductpressure
drop,ductfittingslosses,Externalairlouvers(incaseiftheOutsideAirIntakeduct
hastheindexruncomparedtothereturnairduct)...etc.
Whatarethestepsandhowtoestimate/calculatetheExternalStatic
Pressureofafan?
Thebelowcalculationsheetisverysimpleandallengineerscanmakeuseofitinorder
toestimate/calculatetheExternalstaticpressure(ESP)ofanyfaninanyHVAC
equipment.
ItisworthmentioningherealsothatESPhastobecalculatedfordifferentscenariosto
ensurethatthecalculatedESPisindicatingthemaximumESPdropinthesystem
whichwillbefortheIndexrunnotingthattheindexrunisnotmandatorytobethe
furthestductrun.Theindexrunistheductrunwiththemaximumexternalstatic
pressuredrop.
Steps:
1.Writedownthe"DESIGNAIRFLOWRATE"requiredforthefan.Incaseofheating
orairconditioningequipment,thedesignairflowrateiswhatyougetfromthecooling
loadprogram.
2.GotothefrictionlosschartinanyHVACstandard(CARRIER,..etc)orusea
ductulatortogetthe"FRICTIONFACTOR"basedontherequiredairvelocityandduct
sizeaccordingtotheareaofapplication(lowpressuresystem,Mediumpressure
system,...etc).
3.Measuretheductlengthfromthedesigndrawingsandcheckdifferentscenariosas
explainedabovesincetheindexrunistheductrunwiththemaximumexternalstatic
pressuredropnotthefurthestductrun.
4.Usethebelowsheet(verysimpleexcelsheet)toaddtheductrun,frictionfactor,
pressuredropinallaccessoriesandrepeatthesameforthereturnairduct(orFresh
airductwhicheverisgreater).
5.Addwhateverrequiredsafetyfactortosecuretheunitselection.
So,ExternalStaticPressuredropvaluecanbedefinedaccordingly.
WhataboutdetailedcalculationforExternalStaticPressuredrop?
Detailedcalculationisnotfardifferentfromtheabovecalculationexceptfortheexact
equivalentlengthofeachandeveryductfittingthatwillbeusedinsteadofthesafety
factors.
Alotofprogramsareavailablenowadaysinthemarkettodothisexercise.However,
thiseasywayassummarizedinthetableisfriendlytouse,easy,errormarginisalways
notexceeding5%ofthedetailedcalculatedvalue.
DetailedcalculationfortheequivalentlengthofductfittingscanbefoundinHVAC
standardssuchasSMACNAstandard,CARRIERbinderPart(2)Chapter(2),...etc.