Chapter 1 - Introduction to HVAC

Abstract

This chapter introduces the history, uses, and main processes of heating, ventilating, and air conditioning. There are no calculations to be done. It defines heating, ventilating, and air conditioning. The chapter also describes the purposes of heating, ventilating, and air conditioning. The seven major air-conditioning processes are named and described here. The five main aspects of a space that influence an occupant's comfort are listed here. Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) is a huge field. HVAC systems include a range from the simplest hand-stoked stove, used for comfort heating, to the extremely reliable total air-conditioning systems found in submarines and space shuttles. Cooling equipment varies from the small domestic unit to refrigeration machines that are 10,000 times the size, which are used in industrial processes. Depending on the complexity of the requirements, the HVAC designer must consider many more issues than simply keeping temperatures comfortable. This chapter introduces the fundamental concepts that are used by designers to make decisions about system design, operation, and maintenance. It introduces some of the terminology and main processes that are involved in air conditioning.