Chapter 4

Air Duct Design and Distribution

Prof. Mousa Mohamed

Methods of Air Duct Design
The following methods are most commonly
used for simpler layouts such as the one
shown below.
1. Equal Friction Method.
2. Velocity Reduction Method.
3. Constant Velocity Method.
4. Static Regain Method.
Equal Friction Method
In this method the frictional pressure drop per unit
length in the main and branch ducts (Δpf/L) are kept
constant. P / L  0.5 Pa / m
F
Example 4-1
An air duct system shown below, determine the
size of main duct and branches using equal
friction method.
Main Duct A→B
Qt  Q1  Q2  Q2
Qt  4  3  1  8 m 3 / s
Assume the velocity in main duct AB
V  8 m/ s

Qt  2
d V
4
4Q 4 8
d    1.128 m
V  8
Frictional Pressure
2
Drop
fL V
P  
d 2
For Galvanized Steel
 0.00015
  0.000133
d 1.128
Reynolds Number
Vd 1.184  8  1.128
Re    5.80  10 5

 18.413  10 6
From Moody chart
Re  5.80  10 and  / d
5
 0.000133
 Friction factor, f
f  0.0145
fL V 2 0.0145  30 8 2
P    1.184    14.61 Pa
d 2 1.128 2
P 14.61
  0.487 Pa / m
L 30
Branch B→E

Q  AV  d 2V
4
4Q 16Q 2 V2 8Q 2
V  , V 2
 2 4 ,  2 4
 d 2
 d 2  d
P f V2 f 8Q 2 8Q 2
   f
L d 2 d  d
2 4
 2d 5
8 fQ 2 8  1.184  0.0145  1
d  5  5  0.491 m
 P / L
2
  0.487
2

4Q
V   5.281 m/ s
d 2

First correction of d and V

Vd 1.184  5.281  0.491
Re    1.66  10 5

 18.413  10 6
 0.00015
  0.000305
d 0.491
f  0.016, d  0.501 m, V  5.073 m / s

Second correction of d and V

Vd 1.184  5.073  0.501
Re    1.63  10 5

 18.413  10 6
 0.00015
  0.000299
d 0.501
f  0.016
d  0.501 m
V  5.073 m/ s
We can calculate the volume floww rate to
.
Check the calculation
 
Qcal  AV  d 2V   0.5012  5.073  1.000069 m3 / s
4 4
Acceptable value of Q, d, V
For Main Duct
Qt  8 m 3 / s, V  8m / s, P  0.487 Pa / m
Velocity reduction method
For Main Duct
Qt  8 m 3 / s, V  8m / s, P  0.487 Pa / m
Assume the velocity in each branch with gradually
reduction.
BC: V  7 m/s
BE: V  7 m/s
C  D: V  6m/s
C F: V  6m/s
From duct friction chart,

Branch B→E, the pressure drop per meter larger

than the main duct.
The velocity must reduced to decrease the pressure
drop.
BC: V  7m/s
BE: V  4.5 m / s
C  D: V  6m/s
CF: V  6m/s
To change the cross section of duct from circular to
rectangular, we used the following

d  1.3
ab 
0.625

a  b 0.25
Grille outlets
Ceiling diffuser
Slot diffuser
1. The velocity exit, V, of air from the grills is between
2.5 ~ 3.5 m/s.
2. X : is the blow or throw.
3. L : is the characteristic length and is defined is length
between the grill and the nearest wall.
 Air Fan
Bernoulli Equation or ( Energy Equation)
P V2
  gZ  C
 2
Assume dZ  0,
V 2
PS  PV  PT ,
P  gZ  C
2
PS  PV  PZ  PT

Where, PS : Static Pressure, PV : Velocity Pressure or Dy namic Pressure

PT : Total Pressure.
PV  PT  PS , where PT , PS are measuring by Pitotube.
V 2 2 PV
PV  or V 
2 
By applying Bernoulli Equation between 1 and 2
with existing friction and manor losses.

PS1  PV 1  PS 2  PV 2  PT
PS1  PV 1  PS 2  PV 2  PL
where, PL : total pressure drop or hydraulic losses
between 1 and 2.
PS 1  PV 1  FTP  PS 2  PV 2  PL
where, FTP is the p ressure rise due to the fan work and is called
the Fan Total Head Pressure.
PS 1 V12 PS 2 V22
 W    hL
 2 2 2
where, hL : rep resents the losses p ressure drop in the duct.
Friction Losses in Duct, Major losses
fL V 2
PF   , where, d : hydraulic mean diameter
d 2

Accessories Losses in Duct, Manor losses

V 2
Pd  K , where, K : constant
2
  PF Pd Ve2 
 
 Power  m   
   2 
.  LV2 V 2 Ve2 
 m  f K  
 d 2 2 2 
If the air Fan has total efficiency ,  T
 The actual fan p ower is,
Power
Poweract 
T
 Air Fan Power

  P  LV2
 
    f 
   Air Handling d 2 
Power  W  m
 V 2
V 2 
  K  e 
 2 2 
  P   1 P  
 
        L  L
 
   Air Handling   Friction 
m
 

   K V 2
  V 2
 
 
  

e


  2  Fitting  2  Exit 
 
Reshaping the duct system with air handling unit
  50  100  150  50  150  50  
  
 1.184 
Power  1.184  8 
Air Handling

  30  0.487 82  
 
 1.184  0.3  
 

  2  A B 

 15  0.487 7.77 2 
 1.184  7
 1.184  0.05 2 

  B C
 75  0.487 6.752 
 1.184  4
 1.184  0.05  0.75  0.5  1 

 2 C  D
 30  0.487 5.07 2 
 1.184  1
 1.184  (0.75  0.5  1) 

 2  BE
 15  0.487 6.28 2 
 1.184  3
 1.184  (0.75  0.5  1) 2  
 C  F
Power  4607.811  63.644  394.252  48.849  179.511  5294.07 W
Power  5.294 kW