Measure Guideline: Optimizing the Configuration of Flexible Duct Junction Boxes
- IBACOS, Inc., Pittsburgh, PA (United States)
This measure guideline offers additional recommendations to heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system designers for optimizing flexible duct, constant-volume HVAC systems using junction boxes within Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) Manual D guidance (Rutkowski, H. Manual D -- Residential Duct Systems, 3rd edition, Version 1.00. Arlington, VA: Air Conditioning Contractors of America, 2009.). IBACOS used computational fluid dynamics software to explore and develop guidance to better control the airflow effects of factors that may impact pressure losses within junction boxes among various design configurations (Beach, R., Prahl, D., and Lange, R. CFD Analysis of Flexible Duct Junction Box Design. Golden, CO: National Renewable Energy Laboratory, submitted for publication 2013). These recommendations can help to ensure that a system aligns more closely with the design and the occupants' comfort expectations. Specifically, the recommendations described herein show how to configure a rectangular box with four outlets, a triangular box with three outlets, metal wyes with two outlets, and multiple configurations for more than four outlets. Designers of HVAC systems, contractors who are fabricating junction boxes on site, and anyone using the ACCA Manual D process for sizing duct runs will find this measure guideline invaluable for more accurately minimizing pressure losses when using junction boxes with flexible ducts.
- Research Organization:
- National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); IBACOS, Inc., Pittsburgh, PA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Energy Efficiency Office. Building Technologies Office
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC36-08GO28308
- OSTI ID:
- 1127284
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/GO-102014-4396; KNDJ-0-40341-03
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
42 ENGINEERING
residential
residential buildings
IBACOS
Building America
flexible ducts
junction boxes
duct sizing
pressure losses in HVAC systems
balancing dampers in HVAC systems
residential HVAC systems
friction rate
equivalent length (ducts)
static pressure
available pressure