Robust HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) systems are necessary for Commercial Air Conditioning Systems in order to maintain appropriate temperatures throughout huge spaces. Office buildings require heavy-duty equipment with capacities of hundreds of tons, whereas residential units are sufficient to cool individual residences. Structure owners must carefully consider the pros and cons of various HVAC system types before choosing the best one for the size and requirements of their structure.

This article discusses:

• The operation of commercial HVAC systems.
• The top five HVAC system types for commercial buildings
• Also, a word regarding HVAC upkeep

The Operation of Commercial HVAC Systems

Commercial buildings need HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) systems in order to maintain appropriate temperatures. Commercial buildings need more sophisticated systems that can remove heat from considerably greater spaces than single-family houses, whereas domestic HVAC systems cool single-family dwellings. In order to guarantee effective and dependable temperature regulation in their buildings, building owners need to be aware of the various HVAC systems available.

The fundamental function of all HVAC systems is to reject heat from a building’s interior to the outside air. Refrigerants are used in a refrigeration cycle to absorb and release heat. The main parts of any HVAC system are the pumps, pipes, and chillers or compressors that move the cold air or water, as well as the air handlers that ultimately deliver cooled air to building occupants.

The Top 5 HVAC System Types for Commercial Buildings

1. Chillers Systems

Conventional condenser water systems and air-cooled/coiled chiller systems are the two varieties of chiller systems.

Conventional Water Condenser System

Refrigerants are used by an electric centrifugal chiller in a condenser water system to both absorb and reject heat into the condenser water. The cooling towers get a looping supply of condenser water. The absorbed heat is subsequently removed by forcing air over the condenser water by the cooling tower fans. Although they can reach scale economies, condenser water systems need a lot of infrastructure, including chillers, pumps, pipes, air handlers, cooling towers, and water treatment systems. Larger office buildings are usually equipped with these kinds of HVAC systems due to their massive infrastructure. They work well for cooling big areas, but they are a little excessive for smaller ones or structures.

To guarantee optimal performance, condenser water systems need to be maintained and observed on a regular basis. For them to survive, a lot of water is also necessary. For safety, the water needs to be chemically treated and regularly checked for pathogens like Legionella. Condenser water systems are labor-intensive and expensive to operate due to these water purification systems and the large network of pipes, pumps, chillers, and cooling towers.

Condenser water systems use both large and small chillers to optimize efficiency. Smaller chillers run on the weekends and evenings when demand is reduced, while the big 500-ton capacity chillers manage peak cooling loads throughout the workweek. Large chillers operate at a partial load inefficiently. Energy efficiency is maximized when chillers are appropriately sized for a building’s requirements.

Cooled via Air Chiller System

Similar to automobile radiators, air-cooled chillers disperse heat by employing fans to force outside air over refrigerant coils located outside the structure. Condenser water, cooling towers, water treatment, and testing related to water-cooled systems are no longer necessary thanks to direct air cooling.

Air-cooled chiller systems are less expensive to operate for small to mid-sized workplaces, but they are less effective in severe weather conditions or for very big structures. Compared to water-cooled systems, the lack of water infrastructure simplifies maintenance and uses less energy. The ease of use and lower cost of air-cooled chillers over water-cooled systems might make them a more appealing HVAC alternative for buildings with moderate cooling loads.

2. Local Air Conditioning

Large developments that don’t have their own chillers buy chilled water from district cooling units instead. By doing this, the initial expenses for pumps, pipes, chillers, and cooling towers are avoided. Subterranean pipes link buildings to the central district cooling facility, which uses cooling towers and electric centrifugal chillers to cool water. The amount of chilled water that building owners use determines how much they pay the district utility company. Mechanical engineers are giving VRV (variable refrigerant volume) and VRF (variable refrigerant flow) systems, the newest HVAC technology, positive evaluations. Flexibility, efficiency, and the use of more recent, low-GWP refrigerants are the main benefits of VRV/VRF.

These direct expansion systems transfer heat from interior units straight to an outdoor compressor via refrigerant lines, doing away with the need for chillers and chilled water pumps. Efficiency is increased by the variable capacity, which enables independent cooling of various zones. Compared to standard HVAC, VRV/VRF systems have reduced operating costs because they don’t require a water infrastructure. Because the technology is so new, we don’t yet know how much long-term upkeep will cost. They are so popular in the industry that they go by the moniker “chiller killers.”

AQUILA is the landlord and manager of the 235,000-square-foot Alpha Building in the Mueller Business District. The owner installed a VRV system to profit from this cutting-edge HVAC technology as an early user. Given that it’s a massive structure with sustainability as its guiding concept, this was an ideal fit.

4. Rooftop Units, or RTUs

Self-contained packaged HVAC systems intended for single floors or zones are known as rooftop units, or RTUs. They normally employ standard refrigerants and have cooling capacity of less than 120 tons. To produce and reject cold air or water, RTUs are equipped with miniature evaporators, compressors, and condensers of their own. Low-rise commercial structures including office towers, retail stores, and warehouses frequently use RTUs. Zone-by-zone climate control and simple installation are made possible by their self-contained design. RTUs are a dependable option for HVAC systems because they typically last 15 to 20 years with regular maintenance.

 

5. Straightforward Growth

The split systems that are utilized in your Home Air Filtration System are called direct expansion (DX) models. Each zone’s external condenser unit is connected to one or more interior evaporator units. In order to absorb and release heat, the units circulate refrigerants by directly expanding gas to liquid and back again. DX systems are more suited for smaller business buildings than larger complexes because they resemble giant domestic A/C units. The associated interior units stop working if one of the outdoor condensers fails, but the other zones remain operational.

A Remark Regarding HVAC Upkeep

Facility engineers are required to regularly evaluate the HVAC equipment for each of these HVAC systems in order to identify possible issues before they become serious. Inspections could be conducted daily, weekly, or monthly, depending on the system’s size. The building’s property management systems keep track of these records on a quarterly basis.

Preventive maintenance programs can be developed and examinations can be carried out by outside HVAC specialists. Owners can effectively maintain healthy and productive environments for inhabitants with the appropriate HVAC system and upkeep plan for a building’s specific requirements.

Conclusion

Facility engineers are required to regularly evaluate the HVAC equipment for each of these HVAC systems in order to identify possible issues and call Emergency Air Conditioning Service before they become serious. Inspections could be conducted daily, weekly, or monthly, depending on the system’s size. The building’s property management systems keep track of these records on a quarterly basis. Preventive maintenance programs can be developed and examinations can be carried out by outside HVAC specialists. Owners can effectively maintain healthy and productive environments for inhabitants with the appropriate HVAC system and upkeep plan for a building’s specific requirements.

Whatever the system, preventing issues and inefficiencies requires regular maintenance such as preventative maintenance programs and quarterly inspections. Numerous variables, including as size, energy requirements, and initial expenditures, influence the choice of HVAC system.

All of these commercial HVAC systems have been successfully implemented in office buildings when properly matched to requirements, despite their differences in complexity and capabilities. Facilities managers can be secure in their choice of any of these tried-and-true cooling solutions.

Are you trying to find a professional engineering team to assist you in selecting and maintaining the HVAC system in your Commercial Air Conditioning building? Contact one of our engineering or property management specialists to arrange a consultation right now.