BUILDING TECHNOLOGY
Mechanical and
Electrical Systems
Second Edition
BENJAMIN STEIN
Consulting Engineer
JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. New York ∑ Chichester ∑ Brisbane ∑ Toronto ∑ Singapore ∑ Weinheim
DISCLAIMER
The information in this book has been derived and ex-
tracted from a multitude of sources, including building
codes, fire codes, industry codes and standards, manufac-
turer's literature, engineering reference works and per-
sonal professional experience. It is presented in good
faith, but, although the author and the publisher have
made every reasonable effort to make the information
presented accurate and authoritative, they do not war-
rant, and assume no liability for, its accuracy or com-
pleteness or its fitness for any specific purpose. It is pri-
marily intended as a learning and teaching aid and not
as a source of information for the actual final design of
building systems. It is the responsibility of users to apply
their professional knowledge in the use of the information
presented in this book and to consult original sources for
current detailed information as needed, in actual design
situations.-Benjamin Stein P.E.
This text is printed on acid-free paper.
Copyright © 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
All rights reserved. Published simultaneously in Canada.
Reproduction or translation of any part of this work be-
yond that permitted by Section 107 or 108 of the 1976
United States Copyright Act without the permission of
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enue, New York, NY 10158-0012.
This publication is designed to provide accurate and
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matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that
the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting,
or other professional services. If legal advice or other
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professional person should be sought.
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data:
Stein, Benjamin.
Building technology : mechanical & electrical systems / Benjamin
Stein.-2nd ed.
p. cm.
Rev. ed. of: Building technology / William J. McGuinness, Benjamin
Stein, c1977.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 0-471-59319-2 (cloth : alk. paper)
1. Buildings-Mechanical equipment. 2. Buildings-Electric
equipment. 3. Buildings-Environmental engineering.
I. McGuinness, William J. Building technology. II. Title.
TH6010.M24 1996
696-dc20 96-6186
Printed in the United States of America
10 9 8 7
Preface
This book was written to provide the knowledge
required for the job position of technologist in the
building industry. This job position also carries the
title of draftsman, junior designer, field service
engineer, inspector and technician, depending on
the company, the project and the type of work in-
volved.
The building process generally can be divided
into three phases: the planning phase, the con-
struction phase, and the maintenance and field
service phase after beneficial occupancy of the fa-
cility. The technologist will find opportunities to
apply his or her knowledge in all three phases.
The planning phase of a building project involves
the architect and the engineering consultants. The
function of the architect is programming and space
planning. The architect confers with the various
project engineers with respect to mechanical and
electrical systems in order to determine the type of
systems that will best suit a facility. At this stage
of planning, the technologist generally is not in-
volved. Once the overall system planning is com-
pleted, the project mechanical (HVAC), electrical
and plumbing engineers begin detailed design. It is
at this stage that the technologist is called upon.
The usual arrangement for a project at the design
stage, in an engineering office, involves the follow-
ing technical positions:
Project engineer.
Design engineers (designers).
Technologists (junior designers, draftsmen).
In addition, specialists such as lighting designers,
computer personnel and energy specialists may be
involved, depending on the type and size of the job.
The project engineer coordinates with the architect
and the various design specialties. The design en-
gineer(s) perform the actual system design and cal-
culations, with the assistance of one or more tech-
nologists. The technologist is responsible for pro-
v
vi
ducing the working drawings; that is, he or she is
primarily concerned with the "nuts and bolts" of
the job. The working drawings are contract docu-
ments that, along with the job specifications, tell
the contractor, in detail, what the job requirements
are. Their preparation involves a thorough knowl-
edge of basic principles, design procedures, equip-
ment and hardware, installation procedures and
the techniques of drawing preparation
Working drawings were, until recently, generally
produced by a draftsman or junior designer who
sat at a drafting table and physically drew them,
usually with pencil on paper but also sometimes
with ink on vellum or cloth. The advent of comput-
ers, CAD (computer aided design) programs and
plotters has, in large measure, replaced hand draw-
ing, although manual preparation of working
drawings is still found occasionally in design of-
fices and frequently in field construction offices.
For the most part, however, the job title of drafts-
man is no longer applicable; technologist or junior
designer is more appropriate. Although this person
may now "draw" at a computer console, the knowl-
edge required for the job is the same as previously
required.
Once the planning is complete and contracts let,
the construction phase of building begins. At this
stage, technologists in the engineer's office handle
design changes (of which there are always some),
shop drawings (manufacturer's detailed equip-
ment drawings), some material inspection and a
considerable portion of the field construction in-
spection work, including solving coordination and
space allocation problems. Technologists in the
contractor's office prepare large-scale, detailed, co-
ordinated installation drawings, for the use of the
trade construction personnel. Much of this work is
still hand drawn. They also handle equipment shop
drawings and sometimes are involved with mate-
rial acquisition. Technologists on the contractor's
staff may work in the contractor's field office on
large jobs, doing many types of field work and
coordination work with equipment suppliers.
Technologists working for equipment manufac-
turers prepare detailed equipment drawings and
provide the necessary coordination with the engi-
neer and contractor. When construction is complete,
technologists from the engineer's and con-
tractor's offices will assist in the very extensive
job of field testing, adjusting and balancing of
mechanical and electrical systems.
After a building is turned over to the owner
for "beneficial occupancy," it becomes the owner's
responsibility to maintain the building's systems.
With today's complex M/E systems, this is not a
simple task. Often the owner hires a service com-
pany to perform this function, which, in turn, hires
field service engineers and technicians who have
a construction and/or manufacturing background.
Here again, the M/E technologist can find construc-
tive use for his or her knowledge and capabilities.
From the foregoing it should be evident that
the building industry has a continuing need for
competent mechanical and electrical technolo-
gists. It is to provide the necessary technical back-
ground for such persons that this book is intended.
Since the publication of the first edition of this
book 20 years ago, the building industry has under-
gone many changes. Design must meet the ever
more demanding requirements of energy codes,
laws delineating the needs of handicapped persons,
environmental impact standards and improved hu-
man comfort criteria. Also, modern buildings not
only must meet the complex technological needs of
its occupants but also must be designed for ex-
treme flexibility in order to meet the rapid techni-
cal changes that typify our society.
In the construction phase, new materials and
installation techniques have been developed that
are less labor-intensive yet provide better service-
ability and longer life. No field has developed more
rapidly than that of controls and automation,
which make life easier for the user but much more
complicated for the engineering staff.
All of these developments have been considered
in the preparation of this completely revised sec-
ond edition. In addition, the underlying (and un-
changing) principles upon which all technical de-
sign is based have been restated, refreshed, and
re-presented in what I trust is an interesting and
informative fashion.
Benjamin Stein
Acknowledgments
No modern book is ever the exclusive product of
one person's labor. I am deeply indebted to all
those who have given aid and advice during the
years of preparing this text. First and foremost,
however, I wish to acknowledge and thank my wife
LiIa Stein, who strongly encouraged me to prepare
this revision and who took upon herself the de-
manding task of corresponding with manufactur-
ers whose products are illustrated, plus the burden
of all phases of manuscript typing and preparation.
Without her diligent and excellent work, this revi-
sion would not have been possible.
Dr. Hamilton A. Chase provided me with some of
the source material for the HVAC and plumbing
sections of this book, plus astute comments on
their use. Mr. Shlomo Chen of Tel Aviv, Israel,
provided valuable suggestions at the outset of this
project. Mr. Arthur Fox's excellent review com-
ments were much appreciated. All of the manufac-
turers whose products I have used to illustrate the
various sections are credited in the illustrations.
Organizations whose data appear in this volume
are similarly credited.
Every author is indebted to the publisher's staff
who help throughout the lengthy preparation pro-
cess. The original suggestion for a second edition
came from Mr. Everett Smethurst of John Wiley's
staff, who encouraged me to undertake rewriting
the first edition, despite the fact that my coauthor
and friend, Professor William J. McGuinness, had
died some years previously. Amanda Miller, who
replaced Everett Smethurst, has offered assistance
throughout, for which I am indebted. I am also
indebted to the staff at John Wiley for their compe-
tent, and diligent work: to Mary Alice Yates in the
administrative area, to Dean Gonzalez for his expe-
rienced and highly professional handling of more
than 1000 illustrations, and to Donna Conte and
Diana Cisek for their editorial and production
work.
vii
Contents
Preface v
Acknowledgments vii
1 Heat and Human Comfort 1
1.1 Human Comfort Indoors 2
1.2 Body Temperature Control 2
1.3 Heat and Temperature 3
1.4 Sensible Heat and Latent Heat 5
1.5 Properties of Atmospheric Air 6
1.6 Body Heat Balance 8
1.7 Basic Rules of Thermodynamics 8
1.8 Mechanics of Sensible Heat
Transfer 9
1.9 Thermal Comfort Criteria 15
1.10 Measurements 15
1.11 Units and Conversions 16
Key Terms 18
Supplementary Reading 18
Problems 19
2 Thermal Balance of Buildings 21
HEAT TRANSFER 22
2.1 Heat Transfer in Buildings 22
2.2 Conduction 22
2.3 Convection 28
2.4 Radiation 29
2.5 Heat Flow Through Air Spaces 31
2.6 Heat Flow Through Built-up
Sections 32
2.7 Heat Loss Through Surfaces on
and Below Grade 34
2.8 Heat Flow Through Windows
and Doors 34
HEATING 41
2.9 Heat Loss from Air Infiltration
and Ventilation 41
ix
X
2.10 Heat Loss to Adjacent Unheated
Spaces 42
2.11 Summary of Building Heat
Losses 42
2.12 Building Heat Loss Calculation
Procedure 43
2.13 Outside Design Conditions 50
2.14 Evolution of Modern Climate
Control Systems 51
2.15 Heating Systems Fuels 52
2.16 Heating Systems 54
COOLING 54
2.17 Building Heat Gain Components 54
2.18 Residential Heat Gain (Cooling
Load) Calculations 58
2.19 Nonresidential Heat Gain
Calculations 63
2.20 Cooling Load Calculation Forms 64
PSYCHROMETRICS 64
2.21 The Psychrometric Chart 64
2.22 Components of the
Psychrometric Chart 70
2.23 Basic HVAC Processes on the
Psychrometric Chart 73
2.24 Air Equations for HVAC
Processes 78
Key Terms 79
Supplementary Reading 79
Problems 79
3 Hydronic Heating 83
3.1 Hydronic Systems 84
3.2 Components of a Hydronic
Heating System 84
3.3 Hot Water Boilers 86
3.4 Definitions and Basic Equipment
Functions 92
3.5 Expansion Tank 95
3.6 Circulator 98
3.7 Terminal Units 100
3.8 Piping Arrangements 114
3.9 Hydronic Heating System
Control 120
3.10 Piping Design Factors 125
3.11 Design Procedure 127
3.12 Basic Residential Hydronic
Heating System Design 128
3.13 Preliminary Design
Considerations 138
3.14 Hydronic Heating Design of a
Large Residence 142
3.15 Hydronic Heating Design of an
Industrial Building 151
3.16 Miscellaneous Design
Considerations 164
Key Terms 165
Supplementary Reading 166
Problems 166
4 Electric Heating 167
4.1 Electric Resistance Heating 168
4.2 Resistance Heaters 168
4.3 Resistance Heating Equipment 169
4.4 Residential Electric Heating
Design 179
4.5 Nonresidential Electric Heating
Design 184
Key Terms 195
Problems 195
5 Air Systems, Heating and
Cooling, Part I 197
ALL-AIR SYSTEMS 198
5.1 Air System Characteristics 198
5.2 Components of All-Air Systems 198
5.3 Heat-Carrying Capacity of
Ducted Air Flow 200
5.4 Air Pressure in Ducts 201
WARM AIR FURNACES 203
5.5 Furnace Components and
Arrangements 203
5.6 Furnace Energy and Efficiency
Considerations 204
5.7 Furnace Types 208
5.8 Warm Air Furnace
Characteristics 222
5.9 Noise Considerations 224
5.10 Warm Air Furnace Blowers 224
5.11 Furnace Accessories 226
AIR DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM 227
5.12 Ducts 227
5.13 Duct Fittings and Air Control
Devices 229
5.14 Duct Insulation 229
5.15 Air Distribution Outlets 235
5.16 Outlet Characteristics 253
5.17 Outlet Selection, Location and
Application 258
5.18 Outlet Air Patterns 2
xi
ALL-AIR SYSTEMS 265
5.19 System Types 266
5.20 Single-Zone System Duct
Arrangements 270
AIR FRICTION IN DUCT SYSTEMS 274
5.21 Air Friction in Straight Duct
Sections 275
5.22 Noncircular Ducts 282
5.23 Air Friction in Duct Fittings 288
5.24 Sources of Duct System Pressure
Loss 294
DUCT SIZING METHODS 294
5.25 Equal Friction Method 295
5.26 Modified Equal Friction Method 298
5.27 Extended Plenum Method 299
5.28 Semi-Extended Plenum
(Reducing Plenum) Method 303
SYSTEM DESIGN 307
5.29 Design Procedure 307
5.30 Designer's Checklist 309
Key Terms 311
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