Heating and ventilation (HVACR)
HVAC meaning
HVAC stands for Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning, commonly known as “climate control”. This system not only regulates the temperature inside residential and commercial buildings, but also ensures optimum air cleanliness and purity. Let’s take a look to each specific area:
Heating:
HVAC systems include some components, such as a boiler, furnace or heating pump, to increase indoor temperature. In turn, this heating equipment uses different methods to heat, basically conduction, convection or radiation, and different types of resources to generate the warmth, being electricity, propane, heating oil or natural gas the most common ones.
Ventilation:
It is a separate mechanism from heating and air conditioning but works in combination with both. By exchanging inside with outside air, it ensures that there is a constant stream of fresh air circulating the building. It also acts as a filter as it impedes the influx of fumes, moisture or harmful particles and maintains the proper level of humidity.
Air Conditioning:
HVAC systems which contain some kind of equipment devoted to cooling the circulating air and lowering the temperature in a building. They can also take part in filtering the air and controlling humidity in conjunction with the ventilation system.
With Knauf Industries HVAC components you can rest assured that all air conditioning, heating and ventilation units will work flawlessly and reliably. Our HVAC solutions are well known for their lightness as well astheir easy assembly and installation.
Reduce the environmental footprint of your heating and ventilation systems
Contrary to what one may think, heating and ventilation systems can help reduce your negative impact on the environment by improving energy efficiency with more upgraded technologies.
For example, with new intelligent thermostats, the ability to control and monitor energy usage is higher and easier. By doing so, no energy is wasted acclimatizing rooms that aren’t occupied, providing more precise and efficient results.
Also by correctly insulating and choosing the right materials the system energy losses are avoided, which means less energy is required to cool or warm the space, as we will see in further detail below.
HVAC Insulation: why do we need it
HVAC insulation is vital as it improves efficiency and at the same time reduces carbon emissions and operating costs. To achieve this it is necessary to insulate the climate control components, such as duct systems or pumps, in order to prevent heat losses or other inefficiencies.
Among the insulation benefits the following ones particularly stand out:
Thermal insulation:
Effective thermal insulation guarantees that spaces stay at the right temperature, reducing energy losses throughout the system and preventing the risk of condensation.
Money saving:
The absence of energy losses implies that no extra conditioning efforts are needed to provide the desired temperature, translating to money saving. Furthermore, insulation prevents many problems to HVAC systems, which reduces maintenance and repair costs.
Soundproofing:
Some HVAC systems, especially those installed in industrial environments, can be extremely noisy. To avoid these acoustic nuisances, it is essential to properly insulate both the air ducts and the rooms or spaces where the equipment is placed in order to prevent to the maximum possible extent the sound of the waves they emit.
Non-combustible insulation:
Fire resistance is another key benefit derived from insulating your HVAC systems, specially for commercial and industrial buildings that have to comply with several regulations in this regard.
Condensation prevention:
HVAC systems significantly diminish the risks of condensation developed by transferring cool air to warm areas. This is very relevant as the moisture created because of condensation can lead to mould growth.
Calculator and savings
One of Knauf’’s business division, specialized on Insulation, has created a free to use thermal calculation tool that is completely at your disposal, so that you can easily calculate the heat losses and energy costs of your HVAC system, according to the calculation methods certified by EN ISO 12241 and VDI 2055-1.
EPP/EPS Knauf appliances for HVAC
HVAC foam insulation is a type of system designed to provide thermal and acoustic isolation by employing plastic foam. It is an efficient method to improve the systems’ performance and sustainability.
One of the most popular alternatives to achieve HVAC foam insulation is our star material EPP (Expanded Polypropylene), a closed-cell bead foam consisting of 95% air. Due to its lightweight nature it represents a significant improvement to earlier heavier structures. Also, because of its particular manufacturing process and its composition, it provides various benefits, the most significant being its capacity for outstanding thermal insulation.
In addition to that, EPP is a sustainable material, as it is 100% recyclable which means that its production process presents a smaller carbon footprint than other materials.
Another option is EPS (Expanded Polystyrene), a more economical alternative for applications requiring less structural strength but still with powerful insulation properties.
Heating and Ventilation System Types
HVAC systems are divided into three different categories and, according to the specifications and needs of your home or business, it would be more suitable choosing one or another.
It is the most commonly used HVAC system and it is characterized by having different components placed inside and outside of a building. Normally the air conditioner system is placed outside of the property while there is a fan or coil inside and thanks to the ductwork the airflow is carried to the different rooms. This system is energy efficient and ensures proper cleanliness of the air by using purifiers and filters.
This system is an intermediate option which enables switching between gas and electric power when needed, giving flexibility and control. It uses both thermostats and traditional ductwork. Its main perk is that it is the system with the most energy-saving capacity.
Duct-free split systems provide the highest degree of control, as one unit must be installed in each room to be climatized. It is extremely useful mainly in large buildings such as offices or hotels. Even if the installation costs are high, they will pay off easily with its numerous benefits, the most important being the drastic reduction of energy waste in unused rooms.
HVAC Technical Parts
Technical parts of HVAC systems are important to its good functioning, mainly for thermal insulation, soundproofing, air-tightness, fire resistance and heating surfaces. There are 6 main parts to consider:
Thermostat
Its main use is helping users manage and control temperature, by turning HVAC equipment on and off whenever it’s necessary. They are usually placed in an accessible location, as some can be programmed manually.
Heat Exchanger
This component is directly actuated by the thermostat and is placed within furnaces. It serves to heat indoor air, so that it provides heating power within the building through ducts and vents during cold months.
Evaporator Coil
During warm months, the evaporator coil is in charge of cooling air from outside sources using the furnace’s blower and refrigerant.
Condenser Coil
Placed as opposed to the evaporator coil within the “condensing unit”, its main role is removing indoor heat by condensing refrigerant gasses into liquids.
Combustion Chamber
Commonly called “burner”, it is used to heat cool air whenever warm temperatures are required by using combustible materials.
Blower Motor
This piece of equipment is in charge of circulating cool and hot air across HVAC ductwork. Complete with a fan, it typically uses electricity and its power can be adjusted to each building’s needs.
Advantages of using EPS/EPP in Heating Ventilation and AC (HVAC)
Choosing the right HVAC unit components is key to achieving durability and energy efficiency in equipment and minimizing maintenance, which translates into cost saving. In this regard, one of the main factors to consider is the used materials, which should be efficient and durable.
Choosing the right HVAC unit components is key to achieving durability and energy efficiency in equipment and minimizing maintenance, which translates into cost saving. In this regard, one of the main factors to consider is the used materials, which should be efficient and durable.
From our experience in designing and implementing HVAC technical parts, EPP and EPS are the best alternatives to meet these needs. What makes them so suitable? Keep reading!
- Capability of staying stable over a wide temperature range, which guarantees proper insulation and energy losses being kept at the minimum.
- Lightweight
- Resistance and durability over time.
- Strength-to-weight ratio.
- Protection against moisture and avoids mould, fungi, and rust.
- High levels of acoustic insulation.
- Freedom of design.
- Productivity on production line
- Facilitation of components assembling
- Mechanical strenght
All of the above makes them an excellent option to insulate pipes and ducts in ventilation systems, as well as heaters, pumps, motors and filters Then use foam as structure for casing or support for components.
At Knauf Industries, as a player in the HVAC market for over 15 years, we have accumulate broad experience in the design, development and industrial production of plastic technical and protective items. Our development department and sales team work closely with our customers in the eco-design of their products, which are created by our ID Lab and produced in one of our 44 factories. Combining energy efficiency and keeping production costs optimized is a priority for us.