in Tropical Climates
CMYK
Application of Low Level
Airconditioning Systems
in Tropical Climates
Low-level ventilation systems can, if designed
appropriately, reduce cooling loads and improve
indoor air quality. They work more effectively than
conventional mixed flow systems for smoke control
in the event of a fire and since the floor-to-floor
height can be reduced, building costs can be
saved.
By Kenneth Gong T. L. Chen ing level via a separate system.
Technical Marketing Manager & Managing Director This is generally known as a ‘bal-
Trox (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd. Primetech Engineering Sdn. Bhd., Malaysia ance’ system (refer to Figure 1).
As cooled air is introduced into
.
the room, it mixes with the con-
or the purpose of definition, Telekom’ and the Ericsson Build- taminated air in the room, and
low-level ventilation systems ing in Cyberjaya, have utilised therefore lowers the airborne con-
discussed in this article in- under-floor ventilation systems for taminant concentration and the
clude both under-floor ventilation comfort cooling application. room temperature to an accept-
systems and displacement flow sys- Displacement flow ventilation able level. This mixing action
tems. has been employed for industrial evens out the temperature gradi-
Under-floor ventilation systems application for many years, par- ent and contaminant concentra-
are becoming increasingly popular ticularly in Scandinavia. This sys- tion in the room.
with the advent of information tem has also recently gained popu- This is a rather uneconomical
technology. This type of system larity for comfort cooling in office and inefficient way of maintaining
has been in place for more than buildings. thermal comfort and good indoor
15 years notably in the USA, Both types of systems are air quality, particularly if the floor
Europe and South Africa. In East known to provide better thermal to ceiling height in the air-
Asia, the Hong Kong and comfort and indoor air quality
Shanghai Bank in Hong Kong is compared to the conventional About the Authors
probably the first to implement mixed flow system. Kenneth Gong received his degree in Building
this system for comfort air Comparison between Mixed Services Engineering in the UK. He then
worked as a consulting engineer for a number
conditioning. Flow and Low Level of leading M &E consultancies in the UK before
In Malaysia, under-floor venti- Ventilation Systems joining Trox in Malysia, where he is currently
lation systems have been utilised Mixed Flow System involved in product and business development
strictly for cooling in conventional For a conventional ventilation activities for the Asia Pacific Operations. He
computer rooms for the past 20 system with ducted air distribu- is a member of ASHRAE.
years. Lately, three notable tion, cooled air is introduced into Theam Leong Chan is a mechanical engineer
projects in Malaysia, namely the a room at high level normally at from a leading university in UK. He has been
a practising consulting engineer in Malaysia
new Securities Commission Build- the ceiling. And in like manner, for more than 25 years. He is very active in
ing, the new Malaysia Telecom the stale and contaminated air in the Malaysian engineering fraternity and is
HQ known as the ‘Menara the room is also extracted at ceil- a Fellow of ASHRAE.
Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Journal ❄ Oct. - Dec. 2006 75
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Application of Low Level Airconditioning Systems in Tropical Climates
conditioned space is typically at 2.7m or higher.
Displacement Flow System
For a displacement flow system, cooled air is
supplied into an enclosed space at floor level, using
displacement flow diffusers. The supply air enters the
room at a low velocity, normally around 0.4m/s with
a temperature difference between 1 to 6°C below
the surrounding room air temperature. The incoming
cooled air will drop to floor level and gradually move
across the room, picking up any local heat source
which will produce an upward convective plume
whilst carrying with it any airborne contaminants
(refer to Figure 2). This way, a higher air temperature
and airborne contaminant concentration will be
maintained above the occupied zone due to Wall Diffusers
convective forces and the air is exhausted at ceiling Figure 2 : Displacement Flow Ventilation
level. For this system to work effectively, the significant energy savings and a smaller chiller plant
following conditions must be met : will be needed to provide the required cooling.
• The floor to ceiling height should be 2.7m or Under-floor Ventilation System
higher. The higher it is, the more effective the system With this system, as the name suggests, cooled
will be. supply air is introduced into the floor void of a raised
• There must be an adequate local heat source floor system and distributed to the workspace above
to generate the convective forces. Surface via air terminal devices (refer to Figure 4). These
temperature of the heat source should be greater can be in the form of linear bar grilles, which are
than 35°C. commonly used in computer rooms, mainly for
• Supply air temperature must be lower than the sensible cooling, or induction type swirl floor diffusers
surrounding room air temperature. for the occupied space, which are better suited for
• Airborne contaminants must be sufficiently comfort cooling.
small (typically smaller than 10 microns) to be Typical floor void height is between 300 and
carried upwards by convective forces. 600mm, which is also used for electrical services
If these conditions are met, equivalent comfort distribution and IT network system. Such a height is
conditions with better indoor air quality can be necessary to ensure that the electrical (and any other)
achieved with lower airflow rate and higher supply services do not interfere with the airflow. The exact
air temperature using the displacement flow system height required can only be determined by carrying
when compared to the conventional mixed flow out detailed coordination of all the services that are
system (refer to Figure 3). Therefore, there will be a routed through the floor void.
Fan-powered floor units can also be incorporated
to accommodate the perimeter zone cooling
requirement where the heat gain is likely to fluctuate
and is much higher.
To ensure uniform airflow through the floor void,
a floor area of 300 to 500 square meters (depending
on the building configuration) can be easily and
adequately pressurised by a single supply air duct.
Multiple supply duct outlets may be necessary for
larger floor area.
Design Considerations for Low Level
Ventilation
Supply Air Conditions
With low-level ventilation, supply cooled air is
Figure 1: Mixed Flow Ventilation generally introduced into the occupied space at
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76 Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Journal ❄ Oct. - Dec. 2006
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Application of Low Level Airconditioning Systems in Tropical Climates
continued from page 76
400mm away from the seating area.
Supply air differential temperature for low level
ventilation systems is typically around DT of 4 to
6°C below the design room temperature.
This is much smaller than the supply air
differential temperature for the mixed flow system,
which is typically around a DT of 10°C.
This means that designers may require a higher
airflow from each diffuser for buildings in a tropical
climate than their contemporaries in a temperate
climate.
As a guide, the supply air temperature as
recommended by BSRIA (Building Services Research
and Information Association of UK) may be selected
Figure 3: Comparison of performance between mixed flow and
displacement flow ventilation systems. as follows:
finished floor level through floor diffusers or Supply Air Temp. (°C)
displacement flow diffusers along the wall perimeter. Sedentary Occupation 18 to 20
Therefore, for comfort cooling applications, the More active 17 to 19
velocity and temperature decay characteristics of the Industrial application 15 to 17
diffusers or the discharge velocity and the supply air
Designers should consult the manufacturer for the
temperature are important features of a successful
aerodynamic data of their product. A mock-up test
design.
can be set up in an aerodynamic test laboratory that
For displacement ventilation, the discharge
matches the actual built environment to verify the
velocity of the supply air should not exceed 0.4 m/s
accuracy of the predicted results using the
for comfort cooling application, and the height of
manufacturer’s data. Such a test was carried out for
the diffusers should not exceed 0.8m. For industrial
both the Securities Commission Building and the
applications, depending on the design requirement,
Menara Telekom projects in Malaysia as mentioned
discharge velocity of up to 1 m/s is possible without
earlier.
limiting the height of the diffusers.
Airborne Contaminants
With under floor ventilation, the floor swirl
Airborne contaminants can be loosely classified
diffusers are designed to provide rapid temperature
based on the phase or physical state of the suspended
and velocity decay by induction in order that the
particles (ie., solid, liquid or gas) as indicated
“discomfort” zone of the diffuser is kept as small as
below:
practicable. Typically, they should be located at least
• Dust; such as smoke particles with an average
size of 0.1 to 0.3 µm and bioaerosols such as pollens
(typically between 10 to 100µm in diameter), fungus
spores (10 to 30µm) and bacteria (0.4 to 5µm).
• Mist; fog and steam. Tobacco smoke consists of
suspended liquid particles typically between 0.01 and
1.0µm.
• Vapour gases and smog, which normally refers
to air pollution.
Particles less than 0.1µm in diameter behave quite
similar to gas molecules, traveling with Brownian
movement with no predictable or measurable settling
velocity. Particles between 0.1 and 1.0µm have very
low settling velocity which can be regarded as
negligible because normal air current will counteract
Floor Diffusers any settling. This air current will still keep particles
Figure 4: Under-floor Ventilation of up to 10µm diameter in suspension for an
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Application of Low Level Airconditioning Systems in Tropical Climates
continued from page 78
appreciable time span. Regulations, to provide a mechanical smoke spill
It should be noted that in most commercial system if the total floor area of the building exceeds
buildings, over 99% of the particles in the typical 929m2 (or 10,000 ft2). In the case of the Securities
atmosphere are below 1µm according to ASHRAE Commission building, smoke detectors are provided
Fundamentals Handbook 1997. Particles larger than in the 400mm deep floor void.
10µm will settle fairly rapidly and can be found Cleanliness of Ventilation System
suspended in air only at source or under the influence Existing standard(s) for cleanliness of duct
of strong wind. systems should be applied to the floor void where
If most pollutants are larger than 10µm and are practicable when it is applied to under floor
therefore unlikely to be carried by the upward ventilation system. However, it is recommended
convective force, a low level ventilation system will that studies should be carried out on the long-term
not be effective in maintaining good indoor air implication of under floor ventilation and, how best
quality. to maintain the cleanliness of the floor void such
Air Leakage that the indoor air quality is not compromised
An air leakage test for the raised floor systems through time.
and the electrical terminal boxes was carried in a Advantages and Limitations of Low Level
controlled environment by the consultant in Ventilation
conjunction with the manufactuters for the new Displacement Flow
Securities Commission building. The consultant had An equivalent comfort condition with better
specified a maximum leakage rate of 20 l/min. per indoor air quality can be achieved with higher supply
linear metre at 50 Pa for the raised floor system. A air temperature and possibly with lower air flow rate
final mock-up test was carried out on site to using low-level ventilation (i.e., including under-
determine the overall leakage rate of the floor ventilation) when compared to the
installation. conventional mixed flow system. Therefore, a
The control of air leakage rate is of importance significant energy saving can be achieved and a
for under floor ventilation to maintain the required smaller chiller plant will be needed if the floor to
floor void pressure for the diffusers to deliver the ceiling height is greater than 2.7m and adequate local
required airflow rate. In an extreme case, heat source is present to generate the convective
condensation could occur along the external wall due force.
to infiltration of the humid outdoor air if adequate The displacement flow diffusers are usually
precaution is not taken. located at floor level and they are generally quite
For displacement ventilation, this should not be bulky. Therefore, if the sensible heat load is very
an issue since the existing standards for ductwork high, there may not be enough room to install
fabrication and installation are adequate to limit the these diffusers. They should be located strategically
air leakage rate. to ensure good air distribution, away from
Condensation Assessment obstruction and areas where it is prone to
Assessment of the risk of condensation was carried mechanical damage.
out for the external wall structure and both the Both displacement flow and under-floor
ground floor and intermediate floor slab for the ventilation systems work more effectively than
Securities Commission building. From that, it was conventional mixed flow systems for smoke control
concluded that as long as the supply air temperature application in the event of a fire.
is maintained at 17°C or above, the risk of Under-floor Ventilation
condensation is negligible. Under-floor ventilation is only viable
Fire Safety economically if there is a need for raised floor
All electrical cables in the floor void should be system. The floor void can be utilised to distribute
tested to acceptable national or international supply air to the occupied zone and hence, there is
standards to ensure that they meet acceptable fire a cost saving on the distribution ductwork
performance standard/code. installation.
Plastic components of the floor swirl diffuser units The raised floor system also offers the building
are also made from fire retardant material. owner/user the flexibility to relocate the supply air
It is a requirement under the Malaysian Building outlets to suit new furniture layout without much
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disruption in the work place. In addition, it will acceptable comfort condition in the occupied
improve the indoor air quality of the occupied space is NOT so directly related to the internal
space. heat gains.
The clear ceiling void space can be reduced to its A low level ventilation system is particularly suited
minimum to allow for cable trunkings or conduits, for an atrium, airport terminal and an industrial
piped services and possibly return air ducting. application where the floor to ceiling height is high,
Therefore, the slab-to-slab floor height can be cooling requirement is predominant and the airborne
reduced by about 300 mm per floor compared to contaminants to be kept under control are sufficiently
buildings with a conventional mixed flow system. As small for the system to operate effectively.
a rule-of-thumb, this could translate to a cost saving References
of one floor for every twelve floors to be built. [1] ASHRAE, Air Contaminants; 1997 ASHRAE
Similar to the displacement flow system, it is Handbook – Fundamentals, Chapter 12, ASHRAE.
possible to have a significant energy saving with [2] CIBSE Guide Volume B, Installation and
under-floor ventilation if the floor to ceiling height equipment data. Chartered Institution of Building
is greater than 2.7m Services Engineers, 1987.
Typical cooling output for each floor diffuser is [3] P.J. Jackman Displacement Ventilation; Technical
between 130W (i.e. equivalent to 18 l/s from a Memorandum 2/90, BSRIA.
150 mm dia. diffuser at 25 Pa; NC 25) and 250W [4] P.J. Jackman Design Recommendations for Room
(i.e. equivalent to 34 l/s from a 200 mm dia. dif- Air Distribution Systems; Technical Note 3/90, BSRIA.
fuser at 25 Pa; NC25) at a DT of 6°C. If the cool- [5] Trox Technik, Displacement Ventilation –
ing load is very high, it may be impractical to use Principles and Design Procedures.
floor diffusers without the assistance of fan pow- [6] Trox Technik, Under-floor Air Distribution Design
ered floor units. Considerations; Technical Bulletin TB 060997. ❖
It is recommended that the floor diffusers should
only be located within the circulation area. Room
furnishings should be arranged such that they do not
obstruct the airflow.
Concluding Remarks
Like all new technologies, low-level ventilation
systems will pose new challenges to the designers,
manufacturers and local authorities. Architects and
builders will have to review their construction
methods and standards together with the building
authority, for example to construct buildings with
lower air leakage rate and higher thermal properties
to conserve energy.
The Building Services Research and Information
Association (BSRIA) in the UK has suggested that
the key to successful design of a low-level ventilation
system is:
• To select the correct supply airflow rate “to
maintain the flow boundary at a sufficiently high level
in the room and to avoid excessive temperature
gradient” in the occupied space, typically no greater
than 3K per metre in height.
• To specify the “supply air conditions (i.e.,
temperature and cleanliness which are close to that
required in the occupied space”.
It is questionable if low-level ventilation is com-
patible with a Variable Air Volume system since
the supply airflow rate required to maintain an
82 Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Journal ❄ Oct. - Dec. 2006
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