Coils — Construction vs. Performance

Coils – Construction vs. Performance
(Credit to Guest Blogger: Matt Jacobs, Capital Coil & Air)

If you have ever dealt with commercial HVAC coils, you have probably come across numerous “industry terms” with little to no explanation as to what these terms actually mean. To further confuse you, some verbiage is specific to the actual construction of the coil, while others are only important when determining a coil’s performance. If you do not work with coils on a frequent basis, it is hard to decipher exactly what these terms are referring to. To help translate this industry verbiage, Capital Coil & Air has come up with a list/glossary of the most common and relevant terms that you are likely to come across on most coil jobs.

PERFORMANCE

  • AHRI (Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute): Developed industry standards for air conditioning, heating, and commercial refrigeration equipment. All of CCA’s coils are AHRI-certified, so you know you’re getting dependable quality and performance in every product.
  • Air Pressure Drop: Air Pressure Drop is a result of Flow Rate, Fin Type, Rows and Fins per Inch. In addition, on either Chilled Water or  DX (Evaporator) Coils, the air pressure drop is affected by the condensate on the fin surface.
  • Airflow (CFM): Cubic Feet per Minute, which refers to the amount of air flowing across the coil. A typical cooling coil should produce between 400-500 FPM. You want to avoid exceeding 550 FPM on all Chilled Water & DX Coils. Too little airflow means your coil is not running at peak capacity, while too much airflow can result in excess water carryover.

CONSTRUCTION

  • Casing Type: The supporting metal structure for tubes and the header. Different casing options include Flanged (standard), Slip & Drive, Inverted, Stackable, and Collared End Plates & End Plates only. Steam Coils require Pitched Casing to allow for adequate condensation drainage.
  • Casing Material: The coil’s casing can be made from a variety of different materials. Options include: 14 or 16 Gauge, Galvanized Steel; 304 or 316 Stainless Steel; Copper & Aluminum. Please contact us directly to see about options other than those listed.
  • Connection Material/Type: Standard connection types are MPT (Male Pipe Thread, threaded on the outside), FPT (Female Pipe Thread, threaded on the inside), ODS (Sweat Connections, no threads)

COIL DIMENSION

Related Blogposts:
Cooling Coils and Moisture Carryover

Featured Manufacturer:
Capital Coil and Air is the leading manufacturer of commercial OEM HVAC replacement and custom design/build booster coils, fan coils, condenser coils, and DX Coils.
For More Information - askRick

 

 

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