BY MARIAPPAN GANESAN

.
Local Temp.
E
l
e
v
a
t
i
o
n

E
l
e
v
a
t
i
o
n

Local Temp.
CO
2
Concentration
E
l
e
v
a
t
i
o
n

Local Temp.
CO
2
Concentration CO
2
Concentration

Partially Mixed Room Air Distribution Systems
E
l
e
v
a
t
i
o
n

Local Temp.
CO
2
Concentration
Upper Zone
Lower Zone
height varies
Fully Mixed
Upper Zone
Lower Zone
Upper Zone
Lower Zone
Fully Mixed
Partially Mixed
Fully Stratified
Displacement Under Floor Air Distribution
G.R.D.
ASHRAE Standard 552004
Occupant Comfort Goal
Dry Bulb = 73-77 F.
Relative Humidity = 25-60%.
Local Velocities = Heating < 30
fpm. Cooling < 50 fpm.
Clo. Rate 0.5 - 1.1
Met. Rates 1.0 - 2.0
Floor level to 66; < 5.4 F (3 C)
Occupied Zone: Floor to 60; except:
(Clear, Near, Adjacent) Zone.
Occupied Zone for Comfort
6'
F
Occupied Zone
1'
Floor
Ceiling
Underfloor Plenum
UFAD Outlet
D.V.
Mixed Air Outlet
Fully Mixed Air Distribution
Air Patterns
Mapping Room Air Motion
Vertical Projection
ADPI
Perimeter Heating
Air Flow Patterns
High Sidewall No Ceiling
Horizontal Pattern
Deflected (less drop)
Spread (shorter throw)
High Sidewall with Ceiling
Longer throw with less drop
High Sidewall near Ceiling
Deflect up for longer throw/less drop
Supply Sidewall Grilles
Adjustable:
Horizontal
(spread)

Vertical
(deflection)

Duct Mounting
Velocity & Pressure
Air Patterns
Return Sidewall Grilles
Return
Non Adjustable

Zero Degree Deflection

30-45 Deflection

Other
Air Flow Patterns
Radial Air Pattern

Shorter Throw

More Induction
Round Pattern Diffusers
Air Flow Patterns
Cross Flow

Longer Throw

Increased Drop
Cross Pattern Diffusers
Linear with Plenum or TBar Diffusers
With Spreader W/O Spreader
Linear
Plenum
With
Spread
Without
Spread
LinearPlenum Slot Diffusers
Air Flow Patterns
Radial Pattern - Exposed Duct
Air
Flow Patterns
Cross Pattern - Exposed Duct
POORLY ADJUSTED
DIFFUSER
THERMOSTAT
POOR PATTERN EXAMPLE
PROPERLY ADJUSTED
DIFFUSER
THERMOSTAT
GOOD PATTERN EXAMPLE
Mapping Room Air Motion
5-step approach
Primary air

Total air

Convection currents

Room intake

Room air
Step 1: Identify the Primary Air
Primary Air - mixture
of air supplied to the outlet
and induced room air
within an envelope of
velocities > 150 FPM
Primary air patterns are
temperature independent1
Catalog Throw:
150 100 50
10 - 17 - 25
Inside
Wall
Exposed
Wall
Step 1
Primary Air
Outlet
Step 2: Identify the Total Air
Total Air - mixture of
primary air and room air
which is under the influence
of the outlet conditions

Air has a tendency
to scrub surfaces
Temperature difference
between total air and room air
produces a buoyancy effect
which cause the cool air to drop
and the warm air to rise
Total air has no defined
terminal velocity limit
Step 2
Total Air
Step 3: Identify Natural
Convection Currents
Natural Convection
Currents - Caused by
difference in temperature
between room air and air
in contact with a warm
or cold surface
Affects room air motion
and affects the comfort
in the space
Step 3
Natural
convection
currents and
stratification
zone
Step 4: Identify the Return Intake
Return Intake - return
intake affects only the
air motion within its
immediate vicinity
Even natural convection
currents will overcome the
draw of the intake
Step 5: Identify the Room Air
Room Air Diagram is complete
when remaining room air drifts
back towards the primary air
and total air
Lowest air motion is
in stratification zone
Most uniform air motion is
between stratification zone
and total air
Highest air motion is in and
near the primary and total air
Mapping Throw
Mapping Throw
Cooling
ADPI & Comfort
Air Diffusion Performance Index
Statistically related the space conditions of local
or transversed temperature and velocities to
occupants thermal comfort
ADPI >= 80 is considered acceptable
Effective draft temperature
= (t
x
-t
c
) 0.07(V
x
-30)
% of points where -3<= <= +2 = ADPI
Velocity below 70 fpm
ADPI
The grey area
represents
-3<= <= +2
You can vary
temperature
or velocity to
maintain comfort
15 fpm = 1 F
Throw vs. Characteristic Length
ADPI Selection Illustration
Max
1.2
Min
0.6
ADPI
T50/L
20x20 Room
400 cfm = 1 cfm/sq ft
Characteristic Length = 10
Therefore, look for T50 = 12 feet at 400 cfm (Max VAV)
Check Turndown point at .6 T50/L (Min VAV)
Set constant volume systems at Point A.
80 ADPI Min
Point A
Recommended ADPI Ranges for
Outlets
Outlet T
50
/L Range Calculated T
50
& L Data
Sidewall Grilles
1.3-2.0
L
T
50
10
13-20
15
20-30
20
26-40
25
33-50
30
39-60
Ceiling Diffusers
Round Pattern
0.6-1.2 L

T
50
5

3-6
10

6-12
15

9-18
20

12-24
25

15-30
Ceiling Diffusers
Cross Pattern
1.0-2.0 L

T
50
5

5-10
10

10-20
15

15-30
20

20-40
25

25-50
Slot Diffusers
0.5-3.3
L
T
50
5
3-18
10
5-33
15
9-50
20
10-66
25
15-83
Light Troffer
Diffusers
1.0-5.0 L

T
50
4

4-20
6

6-30
8

8-40
10

10-50
12

12-60
Sill & Floor Grilles
All Types
0.7-1.7
L
T
50
5
4-9
10
7-17
15
11-26
20
14-34
25
18-13
ASHRAE Standard 62.1 Table 6.2
Ventilation Air Ez Factor
Ceiling supply of cool air
Ceiling supply warm air < 15 F t
150 fpm supply jet reaches 4.5 AFF
Ceiling supply warm air >15 F t
Floor supply cooling ceiling return UFAD:
T 50 > 4.5 AFF
T 50 < 4.5 AFF (RP-1373)
Displacement Ventilation
1.0
1.0
0.8
1.0
1.2
1.2
Typical Perimeter Solution
50/50 throw pattern is
the best compromise for
both heating and cooling
Half of the air is always
directed in the wrong
direction
ASHRAE Std. 62.1-2007
T
150
to 4-5 AFF
Max t = 15 F
Auto Changeover Diffuser
Solution
S
i
l
l

W
i
n
d
o
w

Diffuser
Air flow does not pause in
intermittent pattern to cause
sustained drafts pop action
of air flow pattern.
Cooling
Heating
Auto Changeover Diffuser
Vertical Pattern For
Heating
Horizontal Pattern For
Cooling
30% Increase In Energy
Efficiency
Room reaches set-point
faster
Room Stratification for
heating similar to cooling
Air Distribution, Partition Effects
Partially Mixed Air Distribution
UFAD Interior Zone
Perimeter with Series Fan Terminal
Perimeter with Plenum VAV Cooling
Perimeter with Passive Heating
Underfloor Air Distribution
(UFAD)
Stratified
Zone
Round Access Floor Diffuser
High induction air flow pattern
Occupant adjustable damper
Actuated version available
Typical design point is 80-100 cfm
Throw between 4-5 ft.
Low NC
Interior Applications
Use Conventional Components
Round (Swirl) Diffusers
Rectangular Diffusers

In Conventional Applications
One per worker or area measure
Comfort Air Distribution
The ASHRAE 2009 Fundamentals handbook,
Chapter 20, 2007 Applications handbook Chapter
56, and 2008 Systems & Equipment handbook
provides guidance on diffuser selection.
Select throw at Max. & Min. to meet ADPI
guidelines.
It cost less for install a good design than to
replace a bad design.
Employees cost 70 times the cost of Energy.
Diffuser performance terminology
Thermal comfort and ASHRAE Air Diffusion Performance
Index (ADPI)
LEED V3 air distribution prerequisites
Selecting air distribution components and system
parameters for effective air mixing.
ASHRAE Standard 55-2010Thermal Comfort and
determining optimum occupant comfort strategies
Predicting end use acoustic environments
Ventilation requirements of ASHRAE Standard 62.1-2010
and air distribution component selection
Effects of diffuser selection on project cost

Understanding The Terminology
Primary Air Jets - Air jets from free round
openings, grilles, perforated panels, ceiling
diffusers and other outlets can be defined by three
variables.

Throw
Drop
Spread


THROW
DROP
Understanding The Terminology
50 fpm
Typical 100 fpm
150 fpm
22.5


22.5
Spread - is defined as the divergence of the airstream in a horizontal or vertical
plane after it leaves the outlet.
Understanding The Terminology
Coanda Effect
Coanda Effect - a negative or low pressure area is created between the
moving air mass and the ceiling at or near the supply air outlet. This low
pressure area causes the moving air mass to cling to and flow close to the
ceiling surface and increases the throw.
Understanding The Terminology
Understanding primary air jet variables enables

Accurate prediction of room air flow
Improvement of thermal comfort
Proper selection of grilles, registers and diffusers
Adherence with ASHRAE Ventilation Std 62.1 as a
Leed PREREQUISITE
Throw
Throws are cataloged for 150, 100 and 50 fpm
terminal velocities.
Throws should be selected so that jets do not
collide, but have sufficient projection for the area to
be served.

150fpm
100fpm
50fpm


7 - 8 - 12
Pressure
P
T
Pressure - Air outlet pressure data is
required to properly size the air delivery
system within a building.
Static Pressure - The outward force of air
within a duct, measured in inches of water
column.
Velocity Pressure - The forward moving
force of air within a duct, measured in
inches of water column.
Total Pressure - The sum of the velocity
and static pressures, expressed in inches
of water column and can be obtained by
use of a pitot tube.
P
T
= P
V
+ P
S
P
S
P
S
P
T
Air Velocity vs. Velocity Pressure
CFM = Velocity X Area
V=4005'1V
P
@ 70F
Sound
Sound levels reported for diffusers are conducted in
accordance with ASHRAE Standard 70.
Catalog sound data assumes 10 diameters of
straight duct.
Room absorption is assumed to be 10dB in all
bands.
In practice however, room sound levels are
probably 5 NC higher than reported.
Non-Inductive Air Distribution-
Laminar and Radial Flow
Outlets
Laminar Flow Radial Flow
Hospital Operating Suites
Hi-Tech Electronics and other industrial
applications
Clean Rooms
Laboratories
Well Mixed-High Induction
Diffusers
Commercial Office Spaces
High Velocity Jets
Long Throw
Designed to Mix in Zone
PLQ-R
1400
Prism
Air Distribution, Poor Pattern
THERMOSTAT
POORLY ADJUSTED / SELECTED DIFFUSER
PROPERLY ADJUSTED/SELECTED DIFFUSER
THERMOSTAT
Air Distribution, Good Pattern
Thermal Comfort
ASHRAE Standard 55-2010 mandates a maximum 5.4F vertical temperature
stratification in Occupied Zone
2'
2'
Floor to Occupants' Head Level
(3.5 ft. for seated, 6 ft. for standing occupants)
Velocities within the occupied
zone shall be :s 50 FPM
Velocities within the occupied
zone shall be :s 50 FPM
Understanding ADPI
ADPI
ADPI is the percentage of points within the occupied zone
having a range of effective draft temperatures of -3 to +2 of
average room temperature at a coincident air velocity less
than 70 FPM.
ADPI is essentially a measure of the degree of mixing in
zones served by overhead cooling systems.
When air distribution is designed with a minimum ADPI of
80% the probability of vertical temperature stratification or
horizontal temperature non-uniformity is low and
conformance with ASHRAE Standard 55 (Thermal Comfort)
requirements is high.
ADPI does not apply to heating situations or ventilation-
related mixing.
ADPI selection using T
50
I L was
developed in the '60s where L is the
distance to the nearest wall or
halfway to the nearest air outlet. See
Fundamentals Chapter 20 table 2 for
more details on definition of L.
A relationship was found between
50 FPMImin isothermal throw and
cooling throw, and built into the
selection charts included in
ASHRAE Fundamentals, Chapter
20, table 3.
Using this table engineers can
assure clients that diffuser selections
will provide acceptable mixing
and air change effectiveness.
ASHRAE Fundamentals Chapter 20, Table 3
Room Air Speed
Issues and Factors
Standard 55 says thermal comfort can be
achieved with 0 fpm air motion.
Uniform air temperatures indicate good
mixing when loads are present.
With conventional (well-mixed) systems,
room air speed is driven primarily by room
loads when air supply is below 0.9 CFM/sq.
ft. and air diffusion is adequate per
ASHRAE sponsored research
Partitions can provide excellent comfort with
ceiling diffusers when cooling.
ADPI, LEED, and Thermal Comfort
One can get a LEED point for meeting ASHRAE
Standard 55 (Comfort).
Currently, the only way to prove compliance to
Standard 55's vertical temperature stratification
limitation, at the design stage, is through the use of
ADPI.
LEED & ASHRAE Code
Compliance
In LEED V3, in order to get ANY LEED points, one must fully
meet the Ventilation Rate Procedure calculation in ASHRAE
Standards 62.1 (Ventilation)
ASHRAE 62.1-2010 VRP requires that if heating air supplied
from the ceiling is less than 15 above room temperature but
does not reach within 4.5 feet of the floor at 150FPM the
outdoor air supply must be increased by 25%.
ASHRAE 62.1-2010 VRP requires that if the heating air supplied
from the ceiling is greater than 15 above room temperature the
outdoor air supply must also be increased by 25%.
LEED Ventilation points are gained by increased ventilation
Non Typical Throw Analysis
Special Applications
High bay application - Ceilings over 12' high
Heating is a challenge due to buoyancy.
- Take advantage of vertical stratification where possible
- Required Heating airflow rate may exceed cooling airflow
rate.
- Keep heating supply air temperature to room
temperature l:JT to a minimum
If supplying air distribution from the ceiling, consider using
round diffusers, drum louvers, or diffusers with some
vertical projection.
One cannot use ADPI to predict heating performance.
Consider Displacement Ventilation
Diffuser Selection & Buoyancy
ADPI isn't always the best way to analyze, select and
place diffusers, especially with heating and high bay
applications.
One can estimate Throw as a function of l:JT and
buoyancy.
Simple rule: Distance to 75ftImin is affected by
1%Idegree(F) l:JT.
Example:
1. 20l:JT Cooling, Vertical Down = +20% projection
2. 20l:JT Heating, Vertical Down = -20% projection
3. 20l:JT Heating, Along Ceiling = +20% projection
Side Wall Register Selection &
Buoyancy
Horizontal free jet:
Vertical change @ 75ftImin is affected by
1% of 75fpm throwIF
0
l:JT.
Example: 15
o
F Delta T heating

15% T
75

T
75

Note: T
150
is not affected by Delta-t
Entrained vs. Free Jets
Most catalog throw data assumes jet is along a surface.

Exceptions include drum louvers, duct mounted grilles
and vertical linear diffusers.

A free jet will be shorter than an entrained jet because it
has more surface area to induce surrounding air, which
shortens throw.
Special Applications
Continuous Duct Application Suggestions:

Use multiple drum louvers, duct mounted grilles and
continuous linear applications (longer than 10').
Size duct as large a possible (Duct inlet velocity <
1000fpm).
If inlet velocities are less than 1000fpm, maintain
constant duct size through entire length of run and
balancing will be minimal.
Typically, returns are located in the ceiling
in offices.
Returns have an almost immeasurable
effect on room air flows below 1.5 cfmIsf.
Suspended ceilings typically leak 1cfmIsf
at 0.1" differential pressure.
Spaces with high airflow rates can benefit
from low returns.
THANK YOU