MINISTRY OF ELECTRICITY AND WATER

Rules and Regulations for the Design of Air-conditioning Systems under Kuwaits Environmental Conditions

CODE OF PRACTICE MEW/R-7 (Revised)

Second Edition 2010

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Table of Contents

1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0 6.0 7.0 8.0 9.0 10.0

Introduction ..... Geographical Data ....... Climatic Data ...... Design Conditions ....... Noise Level ......

1 1 1 2 5

Electrical Supply .. 76 Water Supply ....... Seawater Utilization for Large Cooling Plants Close to the Sea .... Protection Against Fire Safety Regulations ... 7 7 9 9 9 9

11.0 HVAC Systems 12.0 13.0 14.0 15.0 16.0 17.0 18.0 19.0 20.0 21.0 Accepted Standards .

Building Envelope ... 10 Design Criteria for Air-Cooled Equipment .... 10 Design Criteria for Water-Cooled Equipment .... 10 Design Criteria for Air-Handling-Unit Coils .. 11 Maximum Allowable Power Rating 11 Smoke Management 12 Kitchen Ventilation ..... 12 Filters ...... 14 Trade Names .... 14

List of Tables

1. 2.

Indoor Design Conditions .... Outdoor Air Requirements for Ventilation for Some of Common Applications: Non-Smoking (Reference: ASHRAE Standard 62-2001) ..

4 6 8

3. 4. 5. 6.

Maximum Permissible Noise Ratings . Typical Analytical Data for Fresh and Brackish Water ...

Maximum Allowable Power Rating 12 Guidelines for Filter Selection for Some Common Applications (Efficiency in Accordance with to ASHRAE Standard. 52.1) ... 1

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The Building and Energy Department at the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research would like to express its gratitude to the following people from the Ministry of Electricity and Water for their dedicated support in providing necessary information and eradicating difficulties for the KISR team to complete this report. They are: From the Technical Services Sector: Engr. Abdulhamid Qambar / Director of Design and Supervision Dept. Engr.Nahida Abdulla Dashti / Director of Planning and follow-up Department. Engr. PULLIYATTU CHACKO GEORGE / Chief Specialist Engineer (Mechanical). Engr. Ahmad Al-Sahhaf / Senior HVAC Engineer.

From the Electrical Distribution Network Sector, Electrical Installation Dept.: Engr. Saad Hussain Ali Al-Mishwat / Director of Electrical Installation Dept. Engr. Adel Ahmed Mohd. Al-Ruwayeh / HVAC Section Head. Engr. Zainab Ahmed Mohd. Al-Rasheed / Specialist HVAC Engineer.

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1. 0 1.1

INTRODUCTION

These regulations are applicable to heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) services for comfort applications in commercial, institutional and residential buildings in the State of Kuwait.

1.2

The regulations do not cover all aspects and details of the HVAC systems. Reference shall be made to other particular specifications, conditions and requirements that should also be fulfilled, and other related publications and codes of practice issued by the Ministry of Electricity and Water (MEW).

1.3

Compliance with these general rules and regulations is mandatory for approval of HVAC drawings by the MEW. Where requirements other than those stipulated

hereunder are considered necessary by the HVAC design engineer for any project, the MEW shall be consulted in writing with justification in order to obtain approval of such a design.

2. 0 1.4 1.5 1.6 Altitude: 55 m Latitude: 29.22 North Longitude: 47.98o East

GEOGRAPHICAL DATA

3. 0 3.1 3.2 Extreme recorded conditions

CLIMATIC DATA

Maximum sun radiation temperature (black bulb temperature) in summer: 84C. Maximum ambient temperature in summer: 52C. Maximum relative humidity: 100% at 30C. Minimum ambient temperature in winter: -3C. Sand and dust storms Violent sand and dust storms are common, and dust remains suspended in air even on comparatively still days. During dust storms, visibility may vary from average to nil.

3.3

Prevailing winds Normally northerly to northwesterly winds are predominate. The annual average speeds for coastal and interior areas are 3.7 m/s (12 ft/s) and 4.0 m/s (13 ft/s) at 10 m 1

above ground surface. The maximum recorded wind speed during a storm is 36.0 m/s (118 ft/s). 3.4 Mean temperature at 90 cm below ground surface Summer: 35C Winter: 20C

4. 0 4.1 Outdoors

DESIGN CONDITIONS

Summer season (June - September): Based on a frequency of occurrence of 1% for dry-bulb temperatures (DBTs) and 2.5% for wet-bulb temperatures (WBTs), the design conditions are: - 47.4C (117.3F) DBT and 31.8C (89.2F) WBT with daily range of 13.3C (24.0F) for coastal areas (within 2.5 km from the coast) - 48.0C (118.4F) DBT and 25.5C (77.9F) WBT with daily range of 13.3C (24.0F) for the interior areas (beyond 2.5 km from the coast).

Winter season (October - May): Based on a frequency of occurrence of 1% for DBTs and 2.5% for WBTs, the design conditions are: - 4.5C (40.1F) DBT and 2.0C (36.6F) WBT with daily range of 13.3C (24.0F) for coastal areas (within 2.5 km from the coast) - 4.5C (40.1F) DBT and 2.0C (36.6F) WBT with daily range of 13.3C (24.0F) for interior areas (beyond 2.5 km from the coast).

4.2

Indoors Table 1 presents the generally accepted design conditions for specific applications.

Table 1. Indoor Design Conditions Type of space Residence Office Assembly hall Shop Shopping mall Showroom Hotel Guest room Cafeteria Restaurant Gymnasium Sports hall Swimming pool Kitchen 23.9 C (75.0 F) & 50% RH 21.1 C (70.0 F) & 30% RH Summer Winter

26.7 C (80.0 F) 26.7 C (80.0 F) & 55% RH 21.1 C (70.0 F) & 30% RH 23.9 C (75.0 F) & 50% RH 21.1 C (70.0 F) & 30% RH

Hospital Patient room ICU Surgery 23.9 C (75.0 F) & 50% RH 21.1 C (70.0 F) & 30% RH

20.0 C (68.0 F) & 50% RH 32.2 C (90.0 F) 12.8 C (55.0 F)

Workshop*

ICU = Intensive care units; RH = Relative humidity. * Spot cooling is recommended for workshops. Note: for spaces not specified above, refer to ASHRE fundamentals.

4.3

Ventilation Unless otherwise mentioned, all residential and commercial sector buildings shall have 0.50 air change per hour (ACH) pressurization. This is likely to maintain a positive pressure of 20 to 50 Pa in buildings of good construction quality. The ventilation rate should be the higher of the following two values: - 0.50 ACH pressurization plus exhaust air from kitchen, toilets and other areas. - Recommended air quantity per person or floor area as shown in Table 2. This table may be taken as a guide only, as the standards are revised from time to time.

Table 2. Outdoor Air Requirements for Ventilation of Some Common Applications: Non-Smoking (Reference: ASHRAE Standard 62-2001) Application Occupancy per 100 m2 Outdoor Air Requirement Occupancy Related CFM/person Residences Living area Kitchen* Bath/toilet** Offices Office space Reception area Conference room
Educational buildings

Area Related CFM/ft2 l/s/m2

l/s/person

15 25 (total) 20 (total)

7.5 12 (total) 10 (total)

7 60 50

20 15 20

10 8 10

Classroom Laboratory Library Auditorium Hotels Bedroom Living room Bath Lobby Conference room Assembly hall Dormitory Food and beverage areas Dining room Cafeteria/fast food area Kitchen (cooking)*** Hospitals Patient room Operating room ICU and recovery room

50 30 20 150

15 20 15 15

8 10 8 8

30 50 120 20

30/room 30/room 35/room 15 20 15 15

15/room 15/room 18/room 8 10 8 8

70 100 20

20 20 15

10 10 8

10 20 20

25 30 15

13 15 8

Table 2. Continued Application Occupancy per 100 m2 Outdoor Air Requirement Occupancy Related CFM/person Garages & Warehouses Enclosed parking Auto repair room Warehouse Factory Sports & Amusement Areas Spectator area Game room Swimming pool (pool and deck area) Gymnasium Ballroom Bowling alley 30 100 75 20 25 25 10 13 13 0.5 2.5 150 70 15 25 8 13 5 1.5 1.5 0.05 0.10 7.5 7.5 0.25 0.50 l/s/person Area Related CFM/ft2 l/s/m2

Note: latest ASHRAE standard shall be considered. * Continuous minimum exhaust: 5 ACH. ** Continuous minimum exhaust: 2 ACH or 20 CFM (10 l/s), whichever is greater. *** Refer to kitchen ventilation, item 19.

Provision for automatically regulating outdoor air quantity shall be provided for places of assembly with varying occupancy. A CO2 differential level of 500 700 ppm between the indoor air and the outdoor air may be acceptable for most applications. However, the total CO2 level shall not exceed 1000 ppm.

5.0 5.1

NOISE LEVEL

The HVAC system must be designed to operate quietly, and in addition, sound attenuators, silencers, acoustic lining, insulation panels, vibration isolators, etc., shall be provided where necessary to achieve the required sound and noise reduction in the air-conditioned space.

5.2

In general, noise rating room criteria (RCs) shall not exceed the values given in Table 3. 5

Table 3. Maximum Permissible Noise Ratings Room Type General office Conference room Teleconference room Corridor & lobby Individual room/suite Meeting/banquet area Private room in hospital Operating room Ward Auditorium Dramatic arts/theaters Concert/recital hall * Music practice room Testing/research space Mosque Classroom up to 69.4 m (750 ft ) Classroom over 69.4 m2 (750 ft2) Large lecture room without speech amplification Library Cafeteria Gymnasium/indoor swimming pool ** Large seating-capacity spaces with speech amplification **
2 2

Room Criterion (RC) 40 35 25 45 35 35 35 35 40 35 25 25 35 55 35 40 35 35 40 45 50 55

Notes: * An experienced acoustical consultant shall be employed for guidance on acoustically critical spaces (below RC 30) and for all performing arts spaces. ** RCs for these spaces need only be selected for the desired speech and hearing conditions.

5.3

Sound measurements shall be made at a 1-m distance from the grill or diffuser within the area served using an approved sound level meter.

6.0 6.1

ELECTRICAL SUPPLY

The electrical voltage supply system in Kuwait has the following characteristics: Voltage (3 phase 4 wire): 400 V + 10 % or -6 % 6

 6.2

Voltage (single phase): 230 V + 10 % or -6 % Frequency: 50 HZ + 4 % Neutral: solidly earthed Fault level: 31 MVA at 415 V Fault operation: 0.15 s For more details on electrical power supply requirements, reference should be made to the relevant sections of the recent edition of the MEW Regulations and Codes of Practice.

7.0 7.1

WATER SUPPLY

All information with regard to water supply, consumption, pressure, etc., shall be obtained from the Water Department of the MOE.

7.2

Sufficient water storage for water-cooled A/C plants shall be provided for 24-h operation at full load for use should the main water supply be interrupted.

7.3

Acceptable analytical data for fresh and brackish water are given in Table 4 for guidance (up-to-date analyses are to be obtained from the Water Department of the MEW).

7.4

Water Treatment: equipment for treatment of condenser water shall be included for automatic control, with provision for manual control of the pH, total dissolved solids (TDS) and biocide concentration to ensure protection against corrosion, scaling and growth of microbiological organisms.

7.5

Similar provisions shall also be made for treatment of the chilled water, hot water and feed water for steam boilers.

8. 0

SEAWATER UTILIZATION FOR LARGE COOLING PLANTS CLOSE TO SEA Use of seawater is mandatory for A/C plants of 5,000 RT and above for building complexes close to the sea.

8.1

Table 4. Typical Analytical Data for Fresh and Brackish Water Parameter Neutral electrical conductivity at 20 C ohm Calculated TDS, ppm pH Free caustic NaOH, ppm Total caustic NaOH, ppm Total alkalinity (CaCO3), ppm Chlorides (Cl), ppm Sulphates (SO4), ppm Phosphates (PO4), ppm Total hardness (CaCO3), ppm Permanent hardness (CaCO3), ppm Temporary hardness (CaCO3), ppm Free chlorine (Cl2), ppm Free carbon dioxide (CO2), ppm Calcium (Ca), ppm Magnesium (Mg), ppm Ammonia (NH3), ppm Total iron (Fe +++), ppm Dissolved iron (Fe +++), ppm Fluoride (F2), ppm Sodium (Na), ppm Potassium (K), ppm Carbonates 3), ppm Silicon oxide (SiO2), ppm Nitrates (NOs), ppm Hydrogen sulphate (H2SO4), ppm Boron (B2), ppm Maximum temperature, C
TDS: total dissolved solids.

Fresh Water 736 524 7.5 Nil Nil 26 115 170 0.05 200 173 27 2 0.5 50 20 0.05 0.1 0.04 0.4 67 4 4 2 ---45

Brackish Water 6,307 4,544 7.6 Nil Nil 125 1,020 1,460 -1,650 1,525 125 Nil 1.02 475 187 Nil 0.036 -2.15 558 21 15 21 0.5 --33

9.0 9.1

PROTECTION AGAINST FIRE

The HVAC system shall be designed and installed with provisions for protection against fire hazards. All information with regard to fire protection must be obtained from the Kuwait Fire Department (KFD) of the Municipality of Kuwait in the preliminary design stage. Also Smoke Management, Item 18, should be used.

10.0

SAFETY REGULATIONS

10.1 The HVAC system and all related mechanical and electrical works shall be designed and installed in accordance with the local and other recognized international safety regulations and/or codes to avoid damage to persons, equipment and/or buildings.

11.0

HVAC SYSTEMS

11.1 It shall be the responsibility of the consultant to design an appropriate HVAC system that will suit the required application. The consultant must consider all technical and economic aspects of the system, its reliability, durability, suitability to the environment, simplicity in operation and maintenance, and other aspects of noise and engineering design. 11.2 Generally, the total load for main cooling and heating plants must be divided across a reasonable number of machines, and controlled in steps to avoid complete interruption of service should one machine fail, and to improve the plants performance under partial load operations. 11.3 A reasonable margin in a plants central cooling capacity shall be provided as standby. As a guide, one additional refrigeration machine, one additional chilled water pump, one additional condenser water pump and one additional cooling tower cell shall be incorporated in the scheme.

12.0

ACCEPTED STANDARDS

12.1 The following standards are accepted for HVAC services provided that necessary corrections and provisions are made to suit Kuwaits climatic and design conditions, power supply system and other required codes: ASHRAE : American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Engineers 9 Conditioning

CIBSE BSI BRI ASME ARI ASTM AWS ISO UL CTI NFPA

: Chartered Institute of Building Services Engineers (UK) : British Standards Institute : British Research Institute : American Society of Mechanical Engineers : Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute (USA) : American Society for Testing and Materials : American Welding Society : International Standards Organization : Underwriter Laboratories (USA) : Cooling Towers Institute (USA) : National Fire Protection Association

12.2 Other international standards may be considered provided they meet with the minimum set in the above listed standards.

13.0

BUILDING ENVELOPE

13.1 For insulation of walls, roof, columns and beams, and for allowable glazing areas and types, refer to the MEW relevant regulations.

14.0

DESIGN CRITERIA FOR AIR-COOLED EQUIPMENT

14.1 Air-cooled equipment shall give the required performance when the air DBT entering the condenser is 48 C (118.4 F), unless the specifications call for higher temperatures for special applications. In addition, the equipment shall continue to function

satisfactorily without tripping at a maximum outside DBT of 52 C (125.6 F).

15.0

DESIGN CRITERIA FOR WATER-COOLED EQUIPMENT

15.1 For water-cooled A/C plants, the condenser shall be selected to give the required performance when the temperature of water entering the condenser is 34.4 C (94 F) and water leaving the condenser is 40 C (104 F). Factory-built control shall be provided so that the chiller does not trip or unload up to a condenser water entry temperature of 36 C (96.8 F) by resetting the chilled water temperature.

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15.2 For interior areas:

The cooling tower shall be selected to give the required

performance when the ambient WBT is 29.4 C (85 F) with a cold-water temperature of 32.2 C (90 F) and a hot water temperature of 37.8 C (100 F). For coastal areas, the capacity shall be increased by 15% to compensate for the higher WBT. The cooling tower fan shall be provided with a variable frequency drive (VFD) for energy and water conservation and its water flow rate shall not be less than 4.64 l/s/kW (55 USGPM/HP) for a cooling tower capacity of up to 499 RT and 6.76 l/s/kW (80 USGPM/HP) for capacities of 500 RT and above. 15.3 Generally, for small- and medium-sized A/C plants, the chilled water outlet and inlet temperatures from and to the cooling machine shall be 6.7 and 12.2 C (44 and 54 F), respectively. However, for large complexes and district cooling systems, lower supply temperatures and higher differentials may be considered to achieve economical design. 15.4 For water-cooled A/C plants, using seawater for condenser cooling, the peak seawater temperature shall be considered as 35 C (95 F). The exact seawater temperatures at each site shall, nonetheless, be determined. 15.5 Fouling factors for water-cooled condensers shall be 0.00013 m2 K/W (0.00075 ft2hrF/Btu), and for evaporators the same shall be 0.00004 m2 K/W(0.00025 ft2hrF/Btu). 15.6 Allowable pressure drop across the condenser and evaporator is 5-6 m (16.4-19.7 ft) of water.

16.0

DESIGN CRITERIA FOR AIR-HANDLING-UNIT COOLING COIL

16.1 The cooling coils inlet chilled water temperature should be taken as 0.55C (1F) and 1.1C (2F) higher than the chillers outlet chilled water temperature for system capacities below and above 500 RT, respectively. For instance with a 6.7C (44F) chilled water system, the cooling coil should be set at 7.2C (45F), for system capacity below 500 RT. 16.2 The maximum pressure drop across the coil shall not exceed 5 m (16.4 ft).

17.0

MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE POWER RATING

17.1 The maximum allowable power rating for different air-conditioning systems is as presented in Table 5.

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Table 5. Maximum Allowable Power Rating for Different Air-conditioning Systems A/C System Type Packaged and ducted splits Air-cooled Water-cooled RT All All <250 250-500 >500
A/C = air-conditioning.

Power Rating (kW/RT) Chiller -1.60 0.95 0.75 0.70 Total 1.70 2.00 1.50 1.30 1.25

18.0

SMOKE MANAGEMENT

18.1 The engineer shall ensure compliance with NFPA 90A & B, BS 5588, BRI specifications, and KFD regulations. All designs shall be approved by the KFD. The designer shall provide (where applicable) the following. Stair case pressurization Elevator shaft pressurization Basement exhaust and makeup Underground car park supply and exhaust Dynamic smoke control (pressure sandwich) in high-rise buildings Smoke exhaust and makeup air for high-population-density areas such as theaters, multipurpose halls, convention centers, etc. Atriums makeup and exhaust air systems.

19.0

KITCHEN VENTILATION

19.1 Kitchen ventilation and air-conditioning have at least three purposes: (1) to provide a comfortable environment in the kitchen, (2) to ensure the safety of personnel working in the kitchen by removing combustion products and effluent generated during the cooking process, and (3) to prevent the migration of smells and odors to areas adjacent to the kitchen. Energy-efficient methods shall be employed for fulfilling the above requirements. 19.2 For the indoor design criteria, refer to Tables 1, 2 and 3 above. It should be noted that the ventilation rate requirement in Table 2 is for human requirement only. Makeup air 12

for hood exhaust may require more ventilation. The sum of the outdoor air and transfer air of an acceptable quality from adjacent spaces shall be sufficient to provide an exhaust rate of not less than 7.5 l/s/m2 (1.5 cfm/ft2). This is to be considered a minimum rate. However, if this rate is less than that specified in the 2003 or later editions of Chapter 31 of the ASHRAE Application Handbook, the higher value shall be taken as the final design rate, in which case, additional outdoor air shall be required to compensate for the exhaust from the kitchen hood. 19.3 For energy-efficient design, a minimum quantity of air-conditioned outdoor air shall be used. In other words, the kitchen hood exhaust air quantity shall be an optimum combination of supply air (treated outdoor air dedicated to the comfort conditioning of the space), transfer air (treated air transferred from adjacent areas) and makeup air (outdoor air supplied to the hood directly). During summer when the outdoor air temperature is high, causing discomfort for cooks, consider cooling the air to 26 C (79 F), and supplying it via air curtains built into the hood or diffusers located at the hoods perimeter. Ensure that air terminal velocities and air throw direction do not entrain or diffuse cooking fumes into the space. Velocities at the diffuser face in excess of 1.5 m/s (300 ft/min) should be avoided. As the winter is not severe in Kuwait, heating of makeup air, in winter, may not be required. It may be noted that the short-circuit-type hood (internal discharge type) has limited applications, as it tends to reduce the effectiveness of the hood in capturing the up-draft cooking fumes. 19.4 To prevent migration of smell and odor to adjacent areas, the kitchen shall be maintained under negative pressure in the range of 20 to 30 Pa. This is equivalent to 30 l/s (60 cfm) per single door in the closed position. 19.5 The design, construction, installation and maintenance of commercial kitchen exhaust hoods shall be in accordance with NFPA Standard 96, the IMC (International Mechanical Code), the 2003 or latest edition of the ASHRAE Application Handbook, (chapter 31) and KFD stipulations. 19.6 The kitchen exhaust duct design velocity shall be within the range of 7 m/s to 8 m/s (to carry over grease particles into the airstream and discourage their settlement on the duct walls). Access for cleaning of such ducts shall be provided every 5 m. 19.7 In general, exhaust air shall be discharged a minimum of 1.5 m above the highest point (parapet level) of the building. Discharge velocity shall be 11 m/s or greater directed vertically upwards. Where adjacent buildings are taller than or at close proximity to the discharge location of the chimney, then the exhaust system shall be designed in accordance with the 2003 ASHRAE Application Handbook, (Chapter 44) 13

entitled Building Air Intake and Exhaust Design or as agreed upon by the Environment Public Authority (EPA) in Kuwait and other authorities having jurisdiction.

20.0

FILTERS

20.1 Provision of suitable filters is required to ensure adequate indoor air quality. The general guidelines for filter selection are shown in Table 6.

21.0

TRADE NAMES

21.1 The consultant shall avoid specifying any trade names in the tender documents for requirements and/or materials. Sufficient technical description shall be provided in the specifications to cover the required items. 21.2 The consultant shall avoid in his design scheme and in the tender documents any equipment, that is limited to a single manufacturer in order to obtain competitive prices.

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Table 6.
Application

Guidelines for Filter Selection for Some Common Applications (Efficiency in Accordance with to ASHRAE Standard. 52.1)*
Arrestance Pre-Filter Dust Spot Type of Filter Efficiency and Material Arrestance 70-80% (>10 m particle size) >90% (3-10 m particle size) Pre-Filter/ Filter Dust Spot Type of Filter and Efficiency Material Washable aluminum mesh Less than Disposable fiberglass 20% Pleated filters (25-125 mm (1-5 in) thick cotton polyester media) Cartridge synthetic media Disposal synthetic media Bag filters with microfine-fibre-glass or synthetic media, 300-900 mm (12-36 in) deep box filters 150-300 mm (6-12 in) deep paper media Bag filters with microfine fiberglass or synthetic media, 300-900 mm (12-36 in) deep box filters 150-300 mm (6-12 in) deep paper media Bag filters with microfine fiberglass or synthetic media, 300-900 mm (12-36 in) deep box filters 150-300 mm (6-12 in) deep paper media Final Filter DOP Efficiency Type of Filter and Material

Residential (Minimum filtration) N/A Better residential, commercial buildings, industrial workplaces 70-80% (>10 m particle size) N/A < 20% None Washable aluminum mesh Throwaway disposable fibre glass Washable aluminum mesh Throwaway disposable fibre glass Washable aluminum mesh Throwaway disposable fibre glass Washable aluminum mesh Throwaway disposable fibre glass

N/A

None

25-35%

N/A

None

Superior residential Better commercial Hospital laboratories

70-80% (>10 m particle size)

< 20%

> 95% (1-3 m particle size)

40-75%

N/A

None

Superior commercial buildings Hospital inpatient care General surgery

70-80% (>10 m particle size)

< 20%

> 98% (0.3 1.0 m particle size)

80-95%

N/A

None

Clean rooms Pharmaceutical manufacturing Orthopedic surgery

70-80% (> 10 m particle size)

< 20%

> 98% (0.3 1.0 m particle size)

80-95%

>99. 97 99.999% efficiency < 0. 3 m particle size

HEPA and ULPA filters

N/A= Not applicable, DOP= Dioctphthalate HEPA= High-efficiency particulate air; ULPA= Ultra-low penetration air * For more information refer to the ASHRAE Systems and Equipment Handbook.

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