HVAC stands for heating, ventilation and air conditioning, and these three components make up the entire system. The heating element usually refers to a furnace or boiler, while the air conditioning component is often referred to as HVAC instead of AC. Air conditioning is used to cool the air in your home, and window units and central air conditioning are two of the most common systems. HVAC systems can also include heat pumps and gas ovens.
HVAC systems are designed to provide thermal comfort to occupants along with indoor air quality. They can be classified into central and local systems according to multiple zones, location and distribution. Major HVAC equipment includes heating equipment, ventilation equipment and refrigeration or air conditioning equipment. Central HVAC systems are located away from buildings in a central equipment room and deliver air conditioning through a supply duct system.
Local HVAC systems can be located within or adjacent to a conditioned area and no ducting is required. An air conditioner or air conditioning system is specifically designed to cool or heat the air. It contains both the evaporator and the condenser, where the condenser is located outside the space while the evaporator is inside the space, serving the entire individual zone with the thermal requirements. Hot air systems distribute warm air through supply and return air duct systems through metal or fiberglass ducts.
Each zone has a terminal mixing box controlled by a zone thermostat to adjust the temperature of the supply air by mixing the cold and hot air supply. The air conditioner moves heat between the indoor coil and the outdoor coil, both of which must be kept clean. In most cases, ventilation grilles are located close to the roof, and they function as outlets to distribute the air that has been cooled or heated from the pipe. Not all HVAC units are air conditioning units, although air conditioning units are included under the HVAC umbrella.
Combined systems such as central heating and air conditioning systems use a single blower to circulate air through the internal ducts of a house, or with a ductless system for different rooms or areas of the house. This is done by transferring energy from stale air inside the house to incoming fresh air outside. Once the air has been filtered and raised or lowered to the right temperature, it heads home. In conclusion, an HVAC system covers everything from the air conditioning in your office to large systems used in apartment blocks and industrial complexes. An individual zone requires only one point control point connected to a thermostat to activate the local HVAC system, which is mainly placed inside or adjacent to living spaces.
