Tag: HVAC

Water Heat Recycling

Water Heat Recycling

Water Heat Recycling

10/04/17

“How can we recycle some of the warm water from our showers?”

 

There is something very wrong with our water use. We spend a great deal of energy making hot water for our showers, and once it’s used it gets completely wasted! So how can we use our engineering mindset to solve this problem? Well, we know that this hot water has a certain amount of energy associated with it. And we also know that we can extract some of this energy to perform useful processes. So what if we were to take the wasted water and run it through a heat exchanger to warm some other water? This could save us a large amount of time and energy dedicated since if we wanted to warm up the other water to be used in household applications, we would need less energy. This is the fundamental idea behind Water Heat Recycling and is used in buildings all over the world.

Louvers

Louvers

Louvers

10/01/17

“How can we have open windows that prevent rain from coming in?”

 

Open windows can be great for letting in air and light to brighten up a home. However, one downside is that they can’t protect buildings from the rain. So can we use our engineering mindset to fix this? So what if we were to simply add in blinds with horizontal slants? This would protect us any vertically following objects. Well, this machine is known as a louver and is used in homes around the world as a low-cost solution for internal climate control.

Barrier pipes

Barrier pipes

Barrier pipes

09/30/17

“How can we make pipes that are resistant to corrosion?”

 

We need pipes to transport into our homes water and other fluids necessary for survival. However, the interface of these fluids can interact with the pipe casing and cause corrosion, which can make the material dangerous for use. So how can we use our engineering mindset to fix this problem? Well, what if we were to develop a pipe whose material is impenetrable to oxygen? Well, this is the idea behind a technology known as barrier pipes and is used in residential units around the world.

District Cooling

District Cooling

District Cooling

09/29/17

“Is there a cooling equivalent to district heating?”

 

District heating is great for delivering hot fluids to a local community. But sometimes we want things to be cooled instead. So is it possible to create a cooling equivalent to district heating? Well, it turns out that engineers have created something called district cooling which can store and transport chilled water at command!

Ducts

Ducts

Ducts

09/28/17

“How can we direct the flow of air?”

 

HVAC systems often rely on the flow of air for operation. However, since air is a gas, it can be very difficult to control. So how can we use our engineering mindsets to contain it? Well, let’s think back to some basic principles. We know that that gas is a fluid. And we already know that one method for transporting another type of fluid (liquids) is to use pipes. So what if we were to make a conduit that does this same exact mechanism except for gases? Well, it turns out that this system is actually one of the most widely used HVAC structures on the planet, and has been termed a duct by engineers.

 

Fan Coil Units

Fan Coil Units

Fan Coil Unit

09/26/17

“What is an affordable alternative to VAV systems?”

 

Variable Air Volume (or VAV) systems are great for controlling the weather in an interior space. However, these machines can be quite expensive, so how can we use our engineering mindsets to solve this problem? Well, let’s start with some basic components, a fan to move around air and a heat exchanger (also known as a coil) to control the temperature. With this combination, we can create an HVAC system called a Fan Coil Unit. Fan Coil Units are typically used in smaller buildings where ductwork is not as necessary and are popular in Italy and Eastern Europe.

Centrifugal Fan

Centrifugal Fan

Centrifugal Fan

09/25/17

“How can we use a fan to control gases?”

 

Most HVAC systems by moving around gases. However, materials at this phase can be quite difficult to control, so how can we use our engineering mindset to create such a mechanism? Well, we know that blades on a turbine react when a fluid passes through it, and through symmetry we can assume that a fluid will react to motor movement. So what if we were to construct something similar (like a motor) that would take in the gas, impart kinetic energy through its centripetal acceleration, and then change its direction by 90 degrees? Well, this is the fundamental idea behind a centrifugal fan and is one of the most fundamental components of modern HVAC systems.

HVAC Grilles

HVAC Grilles

HVAC Grilles

09/24/17

“How can we control the flow of air without spending too much money?”

 

Directing airflow how many HVAC systems such as fans and air conditioners work. However, how can we do this in a safe and affordable manner? Well, let’s use our engineering mindset to solve this problem. Let’s start with basic physics. We know that if air passes through a cross-section of multiple vents, then the air molecules will be forced into a particular direction (while large objects would be blocked). So what if we were to attach such vents in front of an HVAC system? This setup is known as an HVAC grille and can be seen in the face of nearly every heating and cooling system.

Damper Controls

Damper Controls

Damper Controls

09/22/17

“How can we control an HVAC damper?”

 

HVAC dampers are instrumental for controlling heating and cooling for buildings. However, since they are located in isolated air ducts, we will need to use some form of remote control to operate them. This is where damper controls come in. Damper controls allow for the angle of the ducts of a damper to be adjusted at will, inducing optimal living conditions.