Project
One of the return air grilles located in the lounge , showing the changed design to the vertical in the bulkheads .
The centre boardroom .
The laundry area located in the basement .
Supply and return air ducting to the pool plant room AHU .
The design methodology had to take into account a number of factors that would suitably service the needs of the occupants in each space - given the particular function .
Consideration of the aesthetics was also a very important part of the client brief and therefore it was vital to not only put an apprpropriate design on the table , but co-ordinate extensively with the client , architectural team and interior designers to make sure to achieve a win-win solution in terms of necessary climate control and having a pleasing visual outcome .
The design brief naturally then included compliance to building standards in terms of ventilation rates , and so on , and would further still maintain all best engineering practices . The systems that were therefore proposed for this project included a dedicated air handling unit ( AHU ) solution for the pool area and then a variable refrigerant flow ( VRF ) and direct expansion ( DX ) solution for the other spaces in the centre .
The VRF system consists of two separate heat recovery type systems serving the ground floor and first floor level units respectively , with a total installed cooling capacity of 91kW . The majority of the indoor units being hide-away type units concealed in the ceiling voids .
One of the boardroom ’ s hideaway diffusers .
The dedicated AHU unit serving the indoor pool area consists of a DX cooling coil connected to three condensors , each with variable-speed driven compressors . The AHU , with a total cooling capacity of 145kW , contains a 1.7 metre diameter rotor type heat recovery wheel , and EC plug fans for controlling and maintaining the supply air and return air flows from the unit . The unit furthermore provides for an internal humidifier with humidity sensor , all communicating to the unit ’ s controller to assist with relative humidity ( RH ) control
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RACA Journal I April 2022 www . hvacronline . co . za