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BLOCK LOAD QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE

811-315 COPYRIGHT 2005-2007 CARRIER CORPORATION PRINTED IN USA

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Block Load Quick Reference Guide

Carrier Corporation

Software Systems Network

Manual Published ............................ 08/2005

First Revision................................... 02/2007

Copyright 2005-2007 Carrier Corporation

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Preface

ABOUT THIS REFERENCE GUIDE

The Block Load Quick Reference Guide provides instructional information for users of Carriers Block

Load Program. It describes how to use key features of the user interface, and how to use the program todesign HVAC systems. This Guide also contains a program tutorial, example problem and discussions ofcommon applications. The Guide serves as a supplement to the program's on-line help system whichprovides additional information including descriptions of all input items, program reports and programcalculation procedures.

ABOUT BLOCK LOAD

Carriers Block Load Program is a computer tool which assists users in the design of HVAC systems forcommercial buildings. Block Load calculates the design cooling and heating loads for commercialbuildings in order to determine required sizes for HVAC system components. Ultimately, the programprovides information needed for selecting and specifying equipment.

WHAT THIS REFERENCE GUIDE CONTAINS

TheBlock Load Quick Reference Guide is divided into four chapters plus four appendices:

Chapter 1 (Getting Started) discusses basic program concepts - how to use Block Load to designsystems, how to operate the program, how to work with projects and perform common tasks.

Chapter 2 (Block Load Tutorial) provides step-by-step instructions for using the program to designsystems. This tutorial is designed for readers who are already familiar with Block Load terminologyand concepts, as well as operating principles for Windows software.

Chapters 3 (Example Problem) contains a simple example problem illustrating how the software isused to design an HVAC system.

Chapters 4 (System Design Applications) provide a series of short discussions on how to use BlockLoad to design common types of HVAC systems.

Appendix A (Performing Common Tasks with Block Load) contains step-by-step procedures forperforming common tasks in Block Load such as entering data, editing data and generating reports.

Appendix B (Performing Common Project Management Tasks) provides short descriptions ofprocedures used to work with project data.

Appendix C (Index) contains an index for this manual.

Appendix D (Input Sheets) provides input forms for zone data.

All information in this Guide is also available in the Block Load on-line help system. The on-line helpsystem also includes extensive information about program inputs, reports and calculation procedures.

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Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Getting Started

1.1 Welcome to the Block Load Program ..................................................................................................................1-1

1.2 Using Block Load to Design Systems.......... ........... .......... ........... ........... .......... ........... ........... ........... ........... .......1-1

1.3 Fundamental Terminology ...................................................................................................................................1-3

1.4 Working with the Block Load Main Program Window ........... .......... ........... ........... .......... ........... ........... .......... ..1-4

1.5 Working With Block Load Input Forms ..............................................................................................................1-8

1.6 Performing Common Tasks With Block Load .......... .......... ........... ........... .......... ........... ........... ........... .......... ....1-10

1.7 Working With Projects.......................................................................................................................................1-10

1.8 Using the Help System in Block Load ...............................................................................................................1-11

1.9 Windows Software Basics..................................................................................................................................1-12

Chapter 2 Block Load Tutorial

2.1 Block Load System Design Tutorial ....................................................................................................................2-1

Chapter 3 System Design Example Problem

3.1 Overview for the Example Problem.....................................................................................................................3-1

3.2 Defining the Problem ...........................................................................................................................................3-1

3.3 Gathering Data .....................................................................................................................................................3-5

3.4 Entering Data........................................................................................................................................................3-8

3.5 Generating System Design Reports....................................................................................................................3-10

3.6 Selecting Equipment...........................................................................................................................................3-11

Chapter 4 Design Applications

4.1 Application Information Overview ......................................................................................................................4-1

4.2 Applications Involving Single-Zone HVAC Units ........... ........... ........... .......... ........... ........... ........... ......... .........4-1

4.3 Applications Involving Terminal Units................................................................................................................4-2

4.4 Applications Involving Multiple-Zone (VAV) Systems ........... ........... ........... ........... .......... ........... .......... ...........4-3

4.5 Troubleshooting Strategies...................................................................................................................................4-4

Appendix A Performing Common Tasks with Block LoadA.1 Basic Procedures for Common Tasks.................................................................................................................A-1

A.2 Creating a New Item...........................................................................................................................................A-2

A.3 Editing an Existing Item.....................................................................................................................................A-3

A.4 Duplicating an Existing Item..............................................................................................................................A-3

A.5 Replacing Zone Data ..........................................................................................................................................A-4

A.6 Rotating Spaces..................................................................................................................................................A-5

A.7 Deleting Items ....................................................................................................................................................A-5

A.8 Generating Input Data Reports ...........................................................................................................................A-6

A.9 Generating System Design Reports....................................................................................................................A-6

A.10 Using the Report Viewer..................................................................................................................................A-7

A.11 Setting User Options.........................................................................................................................................A-9

Appendix B Performing Common Project Management Tasks

B.1 Creating a New Project.......................................................................................................................................B-1

B.2 Opening an Existing Project ...............................................................................................................................B-1

B.3 Saving a Project ..................................................................................................................................................B-1

B.4 Saving a Project as a New Project ......................................................................................................................B-2

B.5 Deleting a Project ...............................................................................................................................................B-2

B.6 Editing Project Properties...................................................................................................................................B-2

B.7 Archiving a Project.............................................................................................................................................B-3

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Table of Contents

Appendix B (continued)

B.8 Retrieving a Project ............................................................................................................................................B-3

B.9 Converting Data From Previous Versions..........................................................................................................B-4

B.10 Publishing Equipment Sizing Requirements for use in E-CAT........................................................................B-5

B.11 Sending Email to your Sales Engineer .............................................................................................................B-7

Appendix C Index

Appendix D Input Sheets

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This chapter explains what Carriers Block Load Program does, how to use the software to design HVACsystems and how to operate the software. We encourage you to read this chapter before using BlockLoad.

1.1 WELCOME TO THE BLOCK LOAD PROGRAM

Welcome to Block Load. Block Load is a computer tool which assists designers and engineers in thedesign of HVAC systems for commercial buildings. TheBlock Load Quick Reference Guide provides acomprehensive guide to program operation and may be used as a tutorial or as a reference guide.

Block Load System Design Features. Block Load estimates design cooling and heating loads forcommercial buildings in order to determine required sizes for HVAC system components. Ultimately, theprogram provides information needed for selecting and specifying equipment. Specifically, the programperforms the following tasks:

Calculates design cooling and heating loads for zones and coils in the HVAC system.

Determines required airflow rates for zones and the system.

Sizes cooling and heating coils.

Sizes air circulation fans

Performs a complete air system psychrometric analysis.

If you have questions about the program: In the United States or Canada, please call 1-800-253-1794 or e-

mail: [email protected] other countries, please contact your local Carrier sales office or local Carrier distributor.

1.2 USING BLOCK LOAD TO DESIGN SYSTEMS

This section briefly describes, in conceptual terms, how to use Block Load to design systems.Application of these concepts will be demonstrated both in the Block Load tutorial in Chapter 2 and in theexample problem in Chapter 3. All design work requires the same general five step procedure:

1. Define the Problem. First define the scope and objectives of the design analysis. For example, whattype of building is involved? How many thermostatic control zones will there be? What type ofsystems and equipment are required? What special requirements will influence system features?

2. Gather Data. Before design calculations can be performed, information about the building, itsenvironment and its HVAC equipment must be gathered. This step involves extracting data frombuilding plans, evaluating building usage and studying HVAC system needs. Specific types ofinformation needed include:

Climate data for the building site. Construction material data for walls, roofs, windows, doors, exterior shading devices and floors,

and for interior partitions between conditioned and non-conditioned regions. Building size and layout data including wall, roof, window, door and floor areas, exposure

orientations and external shading features.

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Internal load characteristics determined by quantities and occupied usage schedules for people,lighting, office equipment, appliances and machinery within the building.

Data concerning HVAC equipment, controls and components to be used.

3. Enter Data Into Block Load. Next, use Block Load to enter climate, building and HVACequipment data. When using Block Load, your base of operation is the main program window(described in greater detail in Section 1.4). From the main program window, first create a new

project or open an existing project. Then define the following types of data which are needed forsystem design work:

a. Enter Weather Data. Weather data defines the temperature, humidity and solar radiationconditions the building encounters during the course of a year. These conditions play animportant role in influencing loads and system operation. To define weather data, a city can bechosen from the program's weather database, or weather parameters can be directly entered.Weather data is entered using the weather input form.

b. Enter Zone Data. A zone is a region of the building comprised of one or more heat flowelements, served by one or more air distribution terminals, and served by a single thermostat. Azone may be a single room, a group of rooms or even an entire building.

To define a zone, all elements which affect heat flow in the zone must be described. Elementsinclude walls, windows, doors, roofs, skylights, floors, occupants, lighting, electrical equipment,

miscellaneous heat sources, infiltration, and partitions. Data is entered using the Zone InputForm.

While defining a zone, information about the construction of walls, roofs, windows, doors andexternal shading devices is needed, as well as information about the unoccupied percentage ofinternal heat gains present. Construction data can be specified directly from the zone input form(via links to the construction form), or alternately can be defined prior to entering zone data.

Zones may be entered separately and independently as Unattached Zones, by clicking on theicon in the toolbar at the top of the screen, or by right-mouse clicking on the Unattached Zonesitem in the tree on the left side and then choosing, Add a New Zone. Zones entered asUnattached Zones remain unattached until they are assigned to a particular System (also seeEntering System Data and Assigning Zones to Systems). A new zone may also be created byright-mouse clicking directly on an existing System, then choosing, Add a New Zone.

Once one or more zones have been entered, Block Loads Duplicate feature may be used tocreate additional zones. To create a new zone, similar to an existing zone, right-mouse click onthe existing zone then click on Duplicate. This creates an exact copy of the existing zone andplaces a number in parentheses directly after the zone name. The number changes sequentially asthis process is repeated. To edit the zone names for the new zones simply click on the zone in thetree and edit the zone name in the Data view on the right side of the screen.

Block Load contains a powerful new spreadsheet control feature that allows all existing zone datato be quickly viewed and modified, if so desired. To activate the spreadsheet view click on theSpreadsheet Input icon at the top in the toolbar or select Edit > Spreadsheet Input from the Menubar at the top. The spreadsheet view allows fast viewing and changes to be made to any zoneinput data. There is a drop-down box at the top of the spreadsheet input window that allowsfiltering of which zone data is displayed in the spreadsheet. Zone display choices are: All, bySystem or Unattached Zones. The spreadsheet view changes depending on what category of zone

data is selected in the tree on the left side. Each level in the tree represents one of the tabs in theData view. Once selected, zone data may be viewed and modified in the spreadsheet and ifdesired you may also view or print a report of the spreadsheet data

c. Enter System Data. A system is the equipment used to provide cooling and heating to a regionof a building. A system serves one or more zones. Examples of systems include packagedrooftop units, split systems, VAV terminals, hydronic fan coils and water source heat pumps. Inall cases, the system also includes associated ductwork, supply terminals and controls.

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Getting Started Chapter 1

To define a system, the components and zones associated with the system must be defined as wellas the system sizing criteria. This data is entered on the System Input Form.

d. Assigning Zones to Systems. Unless done so previously, Unassigned Zones must be assigned toa system or systems prior to performing load calculations. Unattached zones may be assigned tothe system(s) by clicking on either the left or right mouse buttons then dragging them to theappropriate System. When you attempt to drop a Zone onto a System a dialog box appears with

the following choices: Duplicate Here, Move Here or Cancel. It is possible, although notcommon, to assign the same zone to more than one system. An example of when you mightassign the same zone to multiple systems is if you were not sure which system a particular zoneshould be assigned to. In this case you could assign the zone to more than one system, and thenafter final sizing results are known you might decide that a particular zone fits best with aparticular system. You could then delete the zone from the inappropriate system. Care should betaken when assigning the same zone to multiple systems as this can have the effect of duplicatingthe zone in the building, which may overstate the design loads.

4. Use Block Load to Generate Design Reports. Once weather, zone and system data has beenentered, Block Load can be used to generate system design reports.

To generate design reports, go to the Main Program Window and select the desired system orsystems. Next choose the Print/View Load Results menu bar option, toolbar button, or pop-upmenu option. This displays the System Design Reports Form. Select the desired report options onthis form. The program will automatically run the calculations before generating the reports. User hasthe option of printing the reports to a file, sending directly to a printer or viewing on the screen.

5. Select Equipment. Finally, use data from the reports you generated to select the appropriate coolingand heating equipment from product catalogs or electronic catalog software. System design reportsprovide information necessary to select all the components of your HVAC system including packagedequipment, fan coils, WSHP units, supply terminals and duct systems.

Carrier can provide a wide variety of electronic catalog computer programs to make selectingequipment quick and easy. Please contact your local Carrier sales office or Carrier distributor fordetails.

1.3 FUNDAMENTAL TERMINOLOGY

Block Load organizes information about a building and its HVAC equipment into the three categoriesshown below. These are arranged in a hierarchy that permits you to assemble the description of yourbuilding and its HVAC equipment in a flexible manner. The key terms for each component category aredefined below, beginning with the lowest in the hierarchy and working upward.

An Element is a component of the building structure or building use associated with heat gain or loss.

Elements include walls, windows, doors, roofs, skylights, floors, partitions, lighting, people, electric

equipment, miscellaneous heat sources and infiltration. An element is described by its characteristics

which affect heat transfer. A wall, for example, is described by its area, orientation, and the materials

from which it is constructed.

A Zone is a region of the building comprised of one or more heat flow elements, served by one or

more air distribution terminals, and served by a single thermostat. A zone may be a single room, a

group of rooms or even an entire building.

A System is the equipment used to provide cooling and/or heating to a region of a building. Asystem serves one or more zones. There are three different types of systems available in Block Load:Single Zone CAV, VAV and Fan Coils/WSHP. For VAV and Fan Coils/WSHP systems, a separatethermostat exists in each zone which controls the temperature in each zone independently. For SingleZone CAV systems, a single thermostat controls the temperature in all zones connected to the system.Examples of typical systems include: packaged rooftop units, split systems, packaged DX fan coils,hydronic fan coils and water source heat pumps. In all cases, the system also includes associatedductwork, supply terminals and controls.


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1.4 WORKING WITH THE BLOCK LOAD MAIN PROGRAM WINDOW

This topic discusses Block Loads main program window which appears when you start the program.Much of the work you will perform defining data and generating reports is done using features of themain program window. Key elements and features of the main program window are discussed below.Related information which may be useful can be found in separate topics dealing with input forms,

project management, and a program tutorial for system design.

Data or List View PaneTree View Pane

ToolbarTitle Bar Menu Bar

Status Bar

Figure 1.1. Main Program Window

The Block Load main program window consists of seven components used to operate the program.Working from top to bottom in Figure 1.1:

1. The Title Bar lists the program name and the name of the current project. At the right-hand end ofthe title bar are command buttons for minimizing and maximizing the program window and forexiting from the program.

2. The Menu Bar lies immediately below the title bar. The menu bar contains five pull-down menusused to perform common program tasks. To use menu options, first click on the menu name to pull-


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down its list of options. Then click on the name of the desired option. The five pull down menusare as follows:

The Project Menu provides options for manipulating project data. This includes tasks such ascreating, opening, saving, deleting, archiving and retrieving projects. Section 1.7 and AppendixB discuss projects in greater detail.

The Edit Menu contains options used to work with individual data items such as zones, systems,walls, roofs, etc Appendix A provides more information about how options on the Edit Menuare used to perform specific tasks.

The View Menu offers options used to change the functionality or appearance of the mainprogram window. This includes changing the user preference for the units of measure format ofdata shown in the data view window, turning on or off the validation audible or error messageindicators and setting advanced settings such as displaying libraries, advanced report options andgenerating and saving equipment tag information on the project save command.

The Reports Menu provides options for generating reports containing input data and design loadresults. Appendix A describes how these menu options are used in greater detail.

The Help Menu contains options used to launch Block Loads on-line help system. Section 1.8discusses the help system in more detail. Readers should note that on-line help can also be

obtained by pressing F1 at any point during program operation.

3. The Toolbar lies immediately below the menu bar and contains a series of buttons used to performcommon program tasks. Each button contains an icon which represents the task it performs. Thesetasks duplicate many of the options found on the pull-down menus.

Depending on which item is selected in the tree view some toolbar items are disabled that are notapplicable.

To determine the function of a toolbar button, simply place the mouse cursor over a button. Atooltip will appear listing the function of that button.

4. The Tree View is the left-hand panel of the main program window. It contains a tree image of themajor categories of data used by Block Load. The tree view acts as the control panel when workingwith program data.

Directly beneath the Project name a list of the major data categories (weather, zones, systems andlibraries) appears in the tree. Clicking once on the plus (+) sign expands the list under eachcategory. You may also expand the list by double-clicking on the name of the category.

To display a summary list of items in one of the categories, click once on the category name.Doing so displays a table of items on the right side (Data View) included in the category. Thetable cannot be edited; rather it is shown for informational purposes only. To display and/or editthe items in the category double-click on the category item. For example if you double-click onthe Unattached Zones category name, a list of zones you have entered will appear (expand) in thetree and also appear in the Data View panel on the right side of the main program window. Oncethe category has been expanded the plus sign (+) changes to a minus sign (-). If desired you canthen click on individual items in the expanded list in the tree to open the input screens for eachitem allowing you to view or edit input data. Once entered you may also use the SpreadsheetInput to edit existing zone data.

To display a pop-up menu of options available for the category items, right-click on one of the

category items. The category pop-up menu will then appear. Options in this menu are

applicable to one or more items in the list, depending on how many items have been highlighted.

For example, if you right-click on one of the Systems, the System category pop-up menu will


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appear. At this point you may Duplicate, Delete, View Inputs, Print Inputs, Print/View Load

Results (system only). If you highlight one system then select the Print Input Data option, the

input data for this one system will be printed. Should you wish to perform an action on multiple

items you may hold down the [Shift] or [Ctrl] keys and highlight multiple items, then select the

desired option in the pop-up menu, which will perform the action on all highlighted items.

To display a summary of project contents, click once on the Project category name. A list of themajor data categories (weather, spaces, systems, plants) will appear. If the details format isused for the list view, the quantity of items you have defined for each category will also beshown. For example, the summary shows the number of spaces and systems which have beendefined.

To display a summary of project library contents, click once on the Libraries category name. Alist of the library categories (walls, roofs, windows, doors, shades) along with a brief summary ofthe input data for each will appear in the table in the Data View.

By selecting items in the Tree View you can:

Add new items. Example: Adding a new zone.

Edit existing items. Example: Editing a wall assembly you previously defined.

Duplicate an existing item. Example: Creating a new system using defaults from an existingsystem.

Delete existing items. Example: Deleting three systems you previously entered.

Searching and replacing existing zone data. Example: Change lighting W/sq.ft. from 2.0 to 1.8 for

10 zones all at one time.

Rotating the orientation of existing zones. Example: Rotate the orientation of 12 zones by 45

degrees clockwise all at one time.

View or print input data. Example: Printing input data for four window assemblies you previously

entered.

View or print system design reports. Example: Viewing design reports for two systems youdefined.

There are usually at least two or three ways of performing each task. For example, after selectingitems in the tree view, an option on the Edit or Report Menu can be selected, or a button on theToolbar can be pressed, or an item pop-up menu can be displayed by right-clicking on the selecteditems.

5. The Data View is the right-hand panel of the main program window. It changes appearancedepending on which item in the tree category has been selected. If a main category level in the tree isselected the Data View displays a table of data items in the order that they were entered in yourproject. For example, when the Unattached Zones category is selected, the Data View shows a list ofzones you have entered along with the floor area, number of people and lighting watts. If you clickon one of the items in the tree under the category (a zone for instance) the Data View window willdisplay the input screen for that item. The Systems and Libraries categories work the same way, that

is by clicking on the category in the tree a list of items appears in the Data View table. Clicking on aparticular item under the category opens the input screen for that item.


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Figure 1.2. Data View Screen

6. The Spreadsheet Input is an optional method of viewing and/or editing zone input data. Once zoneshave been entered, the spreadsheet input screen may be opened either by clicking on the SpreadsheetInput icon on the toolbar or by selecting Edit > Spreadsheet Input on the Menu bar. Another smalltree appears on the left side of the spreadsheet input screen with categories corresponding to the tabsin the zone input screen. A drop-down filter at the top of the screen allows you to designate whichzones are displayed in the spreadsheet. You may display all zones, zones by system or the unattachedzones. The zone name is the only zone input item that cannot be edited in the spreadsheet. To edit azone name you must click on the tree view and select the zone then edit the zone name on the zoneinput screen. While in the spreadsheet view you may also view or print the zone input report inspreadsheet format.

Figure 1.3 below illustrates the spreadsheet input screen for the zone internal loads.


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Figure 1.3. Spreadsheet Input Screen

7. The Status Bar is the final component of the main program window and appears at the bottom of thewindow. The current date and time appear at the right-hand end of the status bar. Pertinent messagesappear at the left-hand end of the status bar.

Further information on program operation can be found in separate sections of this guide dealing withinput forms, project management, and basic Windows program operating principles. Chapter 3 contains asample tutorial project example and Appendix A provides detailed information on using main programwindow features to enter data and generate reports.

1.5 WORKING WITH BLOCK LOAD INPUT FORMSThis section discusses the basic operating principles of Block Loads input forms. While much of yourwork with the program is done on the main program window, the actual entry of data is done using inputforms. An input form appears when you choose to create a new item or edit an existing item in the mainprogram list view. A separate input form is provided for each category of Block Load data.

Figure 1.4. A Simple Input Form

Simple Input Forms. Many input forms have a simple appearance as shown in Figure 1.4 above. Thesesimple kinds of input forms contain only one component:


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1. The Data Area is the entire form. It contains all the data describing the current item. In the exampleabove, data for a window assembly named 4x6 Double Glazed is being edited. To close an inputform click on any other category or item on the tree. The data area of this form contains informationdescribing a window assembly: its dimensions, overall U-Value and Shade Coefficient.

While entering information in the data area, you can display explanations of each input item bypressing the F1 key. For example, if you press F1 while the cursor is on the Overall U-Value item

in the figure above, the help topic for Overall U-Value will appear automatically. This feature isuseful for learning about the program while you work.

Figure 1.5. A Tabbed Input Form

Tabbed Input Forms. For the Zone and System categories of Block Load data, the input form has amore complex appearance as shown above. This input form contains a data area similar to the simpleinput forms, however the data area contains multiple categories of information rather than a single set ofinformation. Categories of data are represented as tabs in a notebook.

In the figure above, data for a zone is shown. Zone data is divided into seven categories:

General data

Internal load data

Wall, Window, Door data

Roof, Skylight data

Outdoor Airflow

Floor data

Partition data

To switch between the different categories of data, simply click on the tab title. For example, to switch tothe Walls, Windows, Doors category of data, click on the Walls, Windows, Doors tab.


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1.6. PERFORMING COMMON TASKS WITH BLOCK LOAD

In order to use Block Load, you will need to enter data, edit data and generate reports. A common set ofprocedures is used in Block Load to perform these tasks, and this makes the program easier to learn anduse. Whether you are working with walls, zones or systems, for example, the same basic procedures areused. Further, there are typically two or more ways of performing each task. So you can choose the

approach that you find most convenient. Table 1.1 lists common program tasks along with alternate waysof performing each. More extensive information on each task is provided in Appendix A and in BlockLoads on-line help system.

Table 1.1 Common Operating Tasks in Block Load

Task MenuBar

ToolBar

Button

TreeView

TreeView

Pop-UpMenu

DataView

Spread-sheetView

Creating a New Item X X X

Editing an Existing Item X X

Duplicating an Existing Item X X XDeleting Items X X X

Generating Input Data Reports X X X X

Generating Design Load Reports X X X

Key:1. Menu Bar = One of the menus on the menu bar contains an option for performing this task.2. Tool Bar Button = One of the toolbar buttons can be used to perform this task.3. Tree View = Selecting items in the tree allow this task to be performed4. Tree View Pop-Up Menu = The pop-up menu displayed from the tree view contains an option for this task.4. Data View = Task can be performed by directly manipulating items in the data view.5. Spreadsheet View = Items may be edited directly in the spreadsheet view.

1.7 WORKING WITH PROJECTS

While using Block Load you will need to create and manage project data. This section discusses projectsand features provided for managing project data.

What is a Project? All the data you enter and calculate in Block Load is stored together within aproject. A Project is simply a container for your data. However, a project can hold data for otherprograms as well as Block Load. For example, if you create a project for a building design job, it mightcontain load estimating and system design data from Block Load, air handler selection data from theCarrier AHUBuilder program, and air terminal selection data from the Carrier Air Terminal Selectionprogram. Keeping this data together in a single container is often more efficient than keeping the data inseveral separate locations.

Using Projects.Block Load provides a variety of features for working with project data. Commonproject-related tasks are listed below. Further information on each feature can be found in Appendix B.

Create a new project by using the New option on the Project Menu. Edit data in an existing project by using the Open option on the Project Menu. Save changes in a project by using the Save option on the Project Menu Save changes to a new project using the Save As option on the Project Menu Delete an existing project using the Delete option on the Project Menu. Edit descriptive data for the project, such as the project name, project number, contact name, contact

type, project manager and miscellaneous notes using the Properties option on the Project Menu. Archive project data for safe keeping using the Archive option on the Project Menu.


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Retrieve data that you earlier archived using the Archive option on the Project Menu. Convert data from a previous version of Block Load using the Convert Block Load 3.0 Data option

on the Project Menu. Publish equipment sizing data for use in E-CAT using the Publish Equipment Sizing Requirements

option on the Project Menu. Archive a project and email it to your sales engineer using the Send Email to Sales Engineer option

on the Project Menu.

How Project Data is Stored. When a new project is saved for the first time, you designate the folderwhich will hold the project files (either by accepting the default folder \E20-II\Projects\ProjectName orby specifying a folder yourself). This folder is the permanent storage location of project data. When youopen the project to work with its data, temporary copies of the projects data files are made. As you enterdata, make changes and perform calculations, all this data is stored in the temporary copy of the data files.Only when you use the Save option on the Project Menu are the changes youve made are copied topermanent storage. Therefore, if you ever need to undo changes youve made to a project, simplyre-open the project without saving the changes youve made. When you re-open the project, the changesstored in the temporary copy of the data files are discarded, and data from your last project/save isrestored.

Recommended Project Management Practices. Project data represents an important investment ofyour time and effort. And, as the saying goes, time is money. Therefore it is important to safeguard

your investment in project data. We recommend adopting the following practices when working withprojects:

Create a separate project for each job you work on. It is usually more efficient to keep data forseparate jobs in separate projects. It is also safer to store data in smaller, focused units. If you keepdata for all jobs in a single project, and this project becomes damaged, your data loss will be greaterthan if you keep data for separate jobs in separate projects.

Use a descriptive name for the project so you can quickly recognize what it contains, both now andwhen you need to refer to the project in the future. Because the selection list for projects is arrangedalphabetically it is useful to use a consistent naming convention. Many firms begin the project namewith their internal project number followed by descriptive text (e.g., P2003-47 Lincoln School).

Save early and often. While entering data, changing data and generating reports, save the projectperiodically. This practice is useful in the event that you make a mistake and need to undo changes.

If the last time you saved the project was 15 minutes ago, undoing your mistake will only cause youto lose 15 minutes of work. On the other hand, if the last time you saved the data was 4 hours ago,undoing a mistake may cause you to lose 4 hours worth of work.

Archive your data periodically for safekeeping. These days data on hard disks is relatively safe.However, it is still possible for hard disk drives to become damaged, or for files on the hard disk to bedamaged or erased. Therefore it is a good practice to periodically archive your project data. Data canbe archived to a separate location on your hard disk, to a different hard disk drive or to removablemedia such as a zip drive or floppy disks. For example, if you archive data for a large project at theend of each day and your hard disk drive fails, at most you will have lost one days worth of work.On the other hand, if data for the same large project was never archived and your hard disk drivefails, all the project data would be lost.

Further Information. Further information on procedures used to manage project data is found in

Appendix B and the programs on-line help system.

1.8 USING THE HELP SYSTEM IN BLOCK LOAD

Block Load provides extensive on-line documentation via its help system to assist users in learning,understanding and using the software. In Block Load you can obtain information from the help systemby:

Using options on the Help menu in the main program window. Pressing the Help button on any input form.


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Pressing F1 at any time during program operation.

Each of method of obtaining help is discussed below in greater detail.

Method 1 - Using The Help Menu.

The Help menu, which is found in the menu bar in the main program window, contains two options.

1. Contents and Index launches the help system. The help system is presented in a dialog that containsthree tabs: Contents, Index and Find.

Contents provides a table of contents representation of the help system. Topics represented bypage icons are organized into chapters represented by book icons. The table of contents operatesas a tree view. Double click on a book icon to display its contents. Double click on a page iconto display its help topic.

Index contains an alphabetical list of help topics that you can browse through. It also permitsyou to enter a search word or phrase. When a search word or phrase is entered, the index isscrolled to the help topic whose title most closely matches your word or phrase.

Find allows you to enter a word or phrase. The help system then lists all help topics which usethe word or phrase. You can then display any topic in the list. For example, if your search wordis wall, the help system will list all topics which use the word wall.

2. About Block Load displays the Block Load title screen which lists the program name and versionnumber.

Method 2 - Using The Help Button on Input Forms.

All Block Load input forms contain a Help button. When you press this button, a help topic appearswhich provides an overview of the form and its use. This feature is very useful when using a form for thefirst time. The overview help explains the data you are entering, gives a quick orientation of the form andits features, and provides links to all inputs found on the form. For example, the overview help for thezone input form defines the term zone and explains how it is used in the program, briefly explains thezone input form and its seven tabs, and provides links to information about the input items found on theform.

Method 3 - Using F1 Help

Context sensitive help can be obtained at any time by pressing the [F1] key. This launches the helpsystem and displays the topic most closely related to the current position of the cursor. For example, ifyou are entering zone data and you highlight the input radio button for building weight, pressing F1 willdisplay the help topic for building weight. This feature is very useful for obtaining explanations andanswering questions which arise as you enter data.

1.9 WINDOWS SOFTWARE BASICS

This section provides a brief introduction explaining how to use Windows programs. This introduction isintended for readers who are new to Windows software. Understanding the principles discussed belowwill make it much easier to learn and use Block Load. Please note that this introduction is by no means acomprehensive guide. Readers who feel more information is needed are encouraged to consult one of the

many Windows training guides which are available in bookstores.Learn Once, Use Anywhere. One of the basic principles involved with Windows software is that allsoftware programs should use common elements with standard operating rules. Therefore, if you learnhow to operate one Windows program, you will know the basic techniques of using any Windowsprogram. The successful application of this principle relies on using standard interface elements whichoperate according to standard rules. It also relies on users of the software recognizing visual cues whichindicate which kind of interface element is being used, which in turn implies the operating rules.

Mouse Input. Your mouse can be used to navigate, choose options, select items and press buttons in aWindows program. A mouse has two or three buttons designated button #1, button #2 and button #3.


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Mouse button #1 is typically the left-hand button and button #2 is the right-hand button. In all subsequentdiscussions, and throughout the Block Load help system, we will use the following common notationwhen referring to use of the mouse:

Clickmeans to press the left-hand mouse button once. We assume left-hand button = button #1. Double-Click means to press the left-hand mouse button twice in quick succession. Again, we

assume left-hand button = button #1.

Right-Clickmeans to press the right-hand mouse button once. We assume right-hand button = button#2.

Common tasks you can perform with your mouse are as follows:

To choose a menu option or an item on a list, click on the option or item. To display a pop-up menu, right-click on an item. To press a button (such as an OK button), click on the button.

Keyboard Input. Keys on your keyboard can also be used to navigate, choose options, select items,input data and press buttons in a Windows program:

To move the cursor from one item to the next, press the [Tab] key. To move the cursor from one itemto the previous item, press [Shift] and [Tab] together.

To choose a menu option, first press [Alt] and the access key for the menu. For example, if the letter

P in the name of the Project menu is underlined, P is the access key for this menu. Press[ALT][P] to display the Project menus options. To choose an option on a menu, press the access keyfor the desired item.

To select an item on a list, use the up and down arrow keys to move the cursor through the list. Whenthe desired item is highlighted, press the [ENTER] key.

To enter data, simply type the numeric or text information using the keyboard. When finished, DONOT press [ENTER]. Instead use the TAB key or the mouse to move to another input item.[ENTER] very often will execute the default command button which may cause you to exit to adifferent part of the program.

To press a button (such as an OK button), use the [Tab] keys to navigate to the button and then pressthe [ENTER] key.

Using Forms and Controls. In Windows programs, information is presented on one or more forms.In Block Load, the main program window is an example of one kind of form which is used to perform

basic tasks. Block Load input forms are another example of a kind of form which is used to enterinformation. Individual items which appear on a form, or entire regions of a form are referred to ascontrols. For example, on the Block Load main program window, the left-hand panel in the center partof the window is a tree view control which is used to switch between different categories of Block Loaddata. A particular type of control always operates according to one consistent set of rules. Efficient useof Windows programs relies on quickly recognizing different kinds of controls and understanding howeach kind of control is used. This sub-section summarizes the controls most frequently used in BlockLoad.

Pull-Down Menus. Pull-down menus typically appear toward the top of a form in the menu-bar.To display the menus options, click on the menu name, or use press [ALT] and the menus accesskey. To select a menu option, click on the option name or use the arrow keys to move the highlightbar to the desired item and then press [ENTER]. An example showing Block Loads Project menuappears below.


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Toolbar Buttons. Toolbar buttons typically appear toward the top of a form and are used to perform

common program operating tasks. Each toolbar button contains a picture which indicates its function.If you are uncertain of a buttons function, position the mouse cursor over the button. A tooltip - ashort description of the buttons function - will appear. To press the button, use the mouse to click onthe button. An example showing Block Loads toolbar appears below.

Tree View. A tree view displays the relationships between data items in the form of a tree. Forexample, in Windows Explorer, the folder structure of your hard disk is shown in a tree view control.Branches of the tree represent folders on your hard drive and sub-folders beneath each of thesefolders. A tree view control is often accompanied by either a List view or a Data view control. InWindows Explorer you use the tree view to locate a specific folder, and the accompanying list view

displays the files in that folder.

In the Block Load main program window, a tree view is used to organize and show the categories ofprogram data. When the top level items in the tree are selected the control window on the right sidewill contain a List view of the items contained within that category. When a sub-level category itemis selected in the tree the control window displays the Data view allowing you to enter data for thatparticular category. You can perform the following tasks with the Block Load tree view:

Click on the tree category name to display its data in the List view. For example, clicking on theSystems category name displays a list of systems in your project in the List view. A [+] sign nextto the tree category indicates the category may be expanded to reveal the contents at the next sub-level in the tree. A [-] sign next to a tree category indicates the category has been completelyexpanded to reveal all sub-levels under it. Clicking on a [-] sign will collapse a tree category.


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Right-click on the category name to display the pop-up menu for the category. The pop-up menuchoices available changes depending on which categories in the tree are selected. Some high-level categories such as Weather have only one option available in the pop-up menu, which is toPrint/View Inputs. Right-clicking on the Unattached Zones, Systems or Libraries item in the treecategory allows you to add a new zone, system or library item. Right-clicking on a sub-categorylevel, such as a particular system or zone, allows you to Duplicate, Delete, View or Print inputs orAdd a new item. For the Systems only right-clicking also allows you to Print/View Load Results.

List View. As its name implies, the List view contains a list of items contained within thehighlighted tree category. This data table is not editable, rather is shown for informational purposesonly. To edit the data you may click on a sub-category level in the tree and open the Data view, oralternatively you may use the Spreadsheet view to edit zone data after it has already been enteredusing the Data view. The graphic below shows the List view containing library elements.


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Radio Buttons. Radio buttons are used for selecting one item from a group of mutually exclusivechoices. In the example below, only one of the four floor types can be selected at one time. To selectan item using radio buttons, click on the button opposite the desired name or on the name itself. Ablack dot will be placed next to the item you choose, and the dot for the prior selection will be

removed automatically.

Command Buttons. Command buttons are used to perform various tasks in a Windows programs.The example below shows the four command buttons which appear in the Spreadsheet input form.Pressing the OK button, for example, saves the current data and returns to the Block Load mainprogram window. To press a command button, use your mouse to click the button, or use the [Tab]key to navigate to the button and then press [ENTER]. In some situations, a command button is

highlighted in some manner to show it is the default for a form. In the example below, the OK buttonhas a darkened outline indicating it is the default. Pressing [ENTER] from anywhere on the form hasthe same effect as pressing the default button.

It should be noted that most data input screens in Block Load do not contain command buttons, rather

to exit the screen and save the input data you simply select or click another item or category in the

tree. This opens the new item and saves the input data on the form that closes. To save the project

you must still select Project > Save or Save As, which saves all input data. A detailed explanation of

working with projects appears in Appendix B.


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This chapter provides a quick tutorial about how to use the Block Load Program to design systems. Thistutorial is designed for readers who want a quick description of how to use the program and are alreadyfamiliar with the design process, Block Load terminology and basic principles of program operations.

2.1 BLOCK LOAD SYSTEM DESIGN TUTORIAL

This tutorial explains how to use Block Load to perform design calculations for systems. When BlockLoad is started, the main program window appears. At this point the system design process involves thefollowing five steps to design systems. Note that this tutorial assumes the reader is prepared to enter his

or her own building and system data. For a complete example problem, please refer to Chapter 3.1. Create a New Project

Choose New on the Project menu. This creates a new project. A project is the container whichholds your data.

Choose Save on the Project menu. Youll be asked to name the project. From here on, save theproject periodically to prevent data loss in the event of a power interruption or other computerproblem.

2. Enter Weather Data

Click on the Weather item in the tree view in the main program window. The Weather input

form will appear.

Enter weather data by selecting the appropriate Region, Location and City. The default weather

data displayed is the ASHRAE weather data, as indicated in the lower right corner of the Weatherproperties window. You may use this data as is or modify it to meet your specific requirements.

If you do modify the default weather data the data source dialog message in the lower right corner

of the screen changes from ASHRAE Handbook to User Modified indicating that it is no

longer ASHRAE data. Modified weather data is project-specific, that is the next time you run

Block Load and select the same city it will again display the ASHRAE default data. Should you

want to use the user modified weather data each time and not have to re-enter it each time you

should consider creating a template project, which is a blank project containing only weather

and library elements. That way each time to you start a new project all you have to do is open the

template project, save it with a new name then add the zones and system information. To save the data and exit the Weather input screen click on another item in the tree.

3. Enter Zone Data Right-click on the Unattached Zones item in the tree view in the main program window and

select Add a New Zone. This opens the Zone input form where default Zone information will

appear. Alternatively, if you already have a System entered, you may also create a new zone

under the existing system by right-clicking on the System category and selecting the pop-up

menu option, Add a New Zone.

Enter data for your first zone. A zone represents an area of thermostatic control. A zone can be a

singe room, an entire exposure or in the case of large open areas (e.g. auditorium) it could be a


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single area for the entire building. However it is a good design strategy to subdivide the building

into separate control areas which will improve the calculation accuracy and eventually allow you

to properly size HVAC systems and equipment for each separate control area. This is referred to

as zoning. Properly zoning techniques applied up-front require a bit more time initially but will

save time and improve accuracy later during final equipment selection and sizing of terminals and

ductwork.

While entering zones, you must determine the percentage of internal loads (such as lights,equipment and people) present during the unoccupied time period. You will also need to create

walls, roofs, windows, doors or external shades in the Libraries category. You may do this first

before entering zones or systems or directly from within the zone input form by choosing the

create new item in drop-down selection lists. For example, when entering Wall data for

Exposure 1 in the zone input screen, you must choose a Wall Type. In the Wall Type input field

there is a drop-down list. From this list choose the create new wall item to create a new wall

and automatically assign it to the exposure. Similar procedures are used for windows, doors,

roofs and external shades. An alternate approach is to create library items (walls, roofs, windows,

doors and external shading) prior to entering zone data. To do this go directly to the Libraries

area in the tree view and right-click on any of the items and select Add a new .

Once you have completed data entry on all tabs of the zone input form simply click on any other

item on the tree to save the zone input data and close the zone input screen. To enter another zone, in the tree view right-click on the name of the zone you just created. The

zone pop-up menu appears. Choose the Duplicate option on the pop-up menu. An exact copy of

the original zone will be created and its input form will appear. The zone name will be the same

but with a number in parentheses after the name. This is a quick way of generating new zones

based on defaults from an existing zone.

Enter data for the new zone. You may change the name on the first field and any other data

necessary.

Once data entry is complete once again click on any other item in the tree to save the zone data

and exit the input screen.

Repeat the previous steps to enter data for as many zones as required. If you wish to modify or review all the zone input data side-by-side you may open the

Spreadsheet Inputscreen two different ways: either from the toolbar or from the menu bar underEdit > Spreadsheet Input. This saves significant time over opening each zone separately andmaking changes inside the data view input screens.

4. Enter System Data

Right-click on the Systems item in the tree view in the main program window. Select the Add

a New System from the pop-up dialog box. Default System information will appear in the data

view and the System input form will now be open.

Enter data for your first system. Block Load uses a system-based design approach such that all

required system components are sized automatically for you, therefore you must specify the

system type in the input screen. If entering data for a VAV system, you will need to specify the

desired ventilation sizing method. The choices are: Sum of zone OA Airflows and ASHRAE

Std 62-2001. The first method simply adds the ventilation rate specified for each zone togetherto arrive at the total ventilation airflow quantity for the system. The ASHRAE Std 62-2001

method is also known as the Multiple Space or Critical Space method. It determines the total

outdoor airflow rate necessary to ensure that all zones receive the required amount of fresh

outdoor air.

It is also important to enter the system start-up time and duration of system operation. This works

in conjunction with the occupied and unoccupied thermostat setpoints to properly calculate the

effects of night setback and setup and to accurately determine required pull-down and warm-up

loads.


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Block Load Tutorial Chapter 2

For VAV systems utilizing reheat coils you will need to also specify the minimum airflow rate

supplied to the zones. This is so Block Load can properly size the zone reheat coils and also to

ensure a minimum ventilation rate is delivered to the zones during occupied periods.

Once finished entering system data click on any other item in the tree view to save your data and

return to the main program window.

To enter another system, in the tree view right-click on the name of the system you just created.

The system pop-up menu appears. Choose the Duplicate option on the pop-up menu. A copy of the original system will be created

and its input form will appear. Any zones currently attached to the original system will also be

duplicated under the new system. Duplicating systems is a quick way of creating new systems

based on defaults from the previous system, provided successive systems are similar. If they are

not, use the "Add a New System" option to create each new system.

Enter data for each new system.

Once finished select any other item in the tree view to save your data and return to the main

program window. Repeat the previous steps to enter data for as many systems as required.

5. Generate System Design Reports

Click on the System item in the tree view in the main program window. System summaryinformation will appear in the data view on the right. This includes the system name, system type

and whether or not the system calculations have been performed yet or not.

In the tree view select and highlight the system(s) for which you want reports.

There are three ways to create design reports for systems. After highlighting the system(s) either

right-click on the system(s) and select Print/View Load Results from the pop-up menu or

alternatively click on the Print/View Load Results under the Reports menu option. The third

way is to click on the toolbar icon Report/Print/View Load Results.

On the System Design Reports form, choose the desired reports.

To view the reports before printing, press the Preview button.

To print the reports directly, press the Print button.

To generate and save an output report in Rich Text File (RTF) format, which can be opened in

most word processing software, press the Print To File button. Before generating reports, Block Load will check to see if system design calculations have been

performed. If not, Block Load automatically runs these calculations before generating thereports.


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This chapter contains a simple example problem which demonstrates how to use Block Load to design anHVAC system. The example builds on concepts and procedures discussed in Chapters 1 and 2.

3.1 OVERVIEW FOR THE EXAMPLE PROBLEM

The procedure for designing HVAC systems in Block Load involves five steps, as discussed in Chapter 1:

1. Define the Problem.2. Gather Data.3. Enter Data Into Block Load.4. Use Block Load to Generate Design Reports.5. Select Equipment.

The example problem presented in this chapter will demonstrate each step in this process. In theremainder of this chapter a separate section will deal with each step.

3.2 DEFINING THE PROBLEM

The objective of this example problem is to design an HVAC system which serves a manufacturing officelocated in St. Louis, Missouri.

Figure 3.1 Architectural Rendition of Manufacturing Office


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The floor plan for the office is shown in Figure 3.2 below. To save time the building has already beenzonedinto seven separate control zones. The building is comprised of six offices, a conference room andtwo restrooms located in the general office (zone 7). Zones 1-6 all have outside perimeter exposures. Theeast, south and west walls are exposed to ambient. The north wall adjoins the manufacturing plant whichis kept no warmer than 80 F in summer and no colder than 65 F in winter. This north wall is considered apartition since it is not directly exposed to ambient conditions.

Figure 3.2 Floor Plan for Manufacturing Office


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System Design Example Problem Chapter 3

Building information including construction details and other design parameters is shown in Figure 3.3below. Additional details appear in the zone data table that follows.

Fig. 3.3 Manufacturing Office Details & Building Data


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This office building will be air conditioned by one variable-air-volume (VAV) packaged rooftop unitserving VAV boxes, one per zone as indicated in the system layout in Figure 4 below. A cooling-onlyVAV rooftop unit will be used in conjunction with electric resistance heating coils in the VAV boxterminals to provide heat.

Fig. 3.4 HVAC System Layout for Manufacturing Office

Block Load will be used to model the heat transfer processes in the building in order to determine thefollowing sevenequipment sizing values:

Rooftop unit required cooling capacity.

Rooftop unit required fan airflow

Rooftop unit required outdoor airflow rate.

Rooftop unit preheat coil capacity

VAV box (zone) design airflow rates.

VAV box minimum airflow rates.


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VAV box terminal reheat coil capacities.

3.3 GATHERING DATA

The second step in the design process is to gather information necessary to model heat transfer processesin the building and to analyze operation of the HVAC equipment which heats and cools the building.This involves gathering data for the building, its environment and its HVAC equipment. Below,

gathering of weather data, data for zones in the building and data for the HVAC system will be discussed.

3.3.1 Gathering Weather Data

ASHRAE design weather conditions for St. Louis, Missouri will be used for this analysis. In addition tothe ASHRAE data, we will:

Use the period May through November as the design cooling months. This means cooling sizingcalculations will only be performed for this range of months. We could use January throughDecember as the calculation period. However, design weather conditions in St. Louis are such thatpeak loads are most likely to occur during the summer or fall months. So we can reduce the set ofcalculation months to May through November to save calculation time without sacrificing reliability.

3.3.2 Gathering Zone Data

In this example problem we will model the heat transfer of each zone separately so peak loads andrequired airflow rates can be determined for each zone. As mentioned previously, there are 7 zones inthis office building. Zones 1 & 2 along the east exposure are similar, except for the size, number of peopleand partition. All zones have identical internal loads for lights and equipment. There are enoughsimilarities between zones that we may enter one zone and then use Block Loads Duplicate function tocopy the zone, and then make any necessary changes. This will save a lot of time for data entry.Characteristics of these zones were derived from architectural plans and from information about the use ofthe building and are described below.

Walls. One common wall construction is used for all exterior walls. The construction consists of 4-inchface brick, R-11 batt insulation, a 1 air space and 5/8 gypsum board finish. The outside surface color islight. The wall will have to be entered as a custom wall and each layer defined separately from theinside to the outside to arrive at the total overall U-value. For reference, the overall U-value is 0.071

BTU/(hr-sqft-F). The overall weight is 44.4 lb/sqft.Roofs. One uniform flat (horizontal) roof construction is used for this building. The roof constructionconsists of 1 built-up roofing, 2 of board insulation (R=13.88), 22 gauge steel deck, a 36 plenum airspace and acoustic ceiling tiles (3/4 thick, density = 23.0 lb/sqft, specific heat = 0.14 Btu/lb/F, R=1.79.The outside surface color is light. The overall U-value is 0.054 BTU/(hr-sqft-F). The overall weight is8.9 lb/sqft. Note that in Block Load the roof assembly must include all material layers from the exteriorsurface to the interior surface adjacent to the conditioned space. Thus, the ceiling plenum is consideredpart of the overall roof assembly.

Windows & External Shading. One type of casement window unit is used for all windows in thisbuilding. The window units measure 6 feet in height by 2 feet in width and are double glazed. Nointernal shades are used. Manufacturers NFRC ratings indicate the window has a U-value of 0.46BTU/(hr-sqft-F) and a shade coefficient (SC) of 0.42. The windows have a 6 reveal, which is the onlyexternal shading for the windows.

Doors. The south zone has a double glass door. Each door measures 7 feet in height by 3.5 feet in width.Doors contain a double-glazing in an aluminum frame. Manufacturers ratings indicate the door U-valueis 0.55 BTU/(hr-sqft-F) with a SHGC of 0.75. The door is not assumed to be shaded all day.

Lighting. Recessed, unvented fluorescent lighting fixtures are used for all zones in the building.Lighting density for all zones is 1.5 W/sqft.

Lighting levels during the unoccupied time period are 10% (unoccupied use).


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Occupants. The maximum number of occupants varies by space and will be discussed later in thissection. For all rooms except the music room, a seated at rest activity level will be used (230BTU/hr/person sensible, 120 BTU/hr/person latent). For the music room the office work activity levelwill be used due to the higher level of activity in this room (245 BTU/hr/person sensible, 205BTU/hr/person latent).

For all rooms we will use design day occupancy levels of 100% for 0700 through 1700, the normal hours

of operation for the school. Occupancy during the period 1800 through 2100 is very infrequent and willbe ignored. Thus, occupancy levels of 0% will be used for all other hours of the day. This occupancyprofile applies for days the school is in session. For weekends and holidays 0% occupancy is used for allhours. For the summer shutdown period from late June to early August these 0% occupancy values willbe used. The occupant schedule is shown in Figure 3.5.

Electric Equipment. All zones have the same electrical equipment heat gains at 0.35 W/sqft. Electricequipment usage during the unoccupied time period is 10% (unoccupied use).

Occupants. The maximum number of occupants varies by zone and will be discussed later in thissection. For all zones an office work activity level will be used (245 BTU/hr/person sensible, 205BTU/hr/person latent). Occupancy levels during the unoccupied time period are 0% (unoccupied use).

Zones. A total of 7 zones will be defined. Details as follows:

Floor areas are shown in the table below.

The average ceiling height is 8.5 feet for all zones.

The building weight is medium.

Ventilation airflow rates will be defaulted by choosing the appropriate ASHRAE Standard 62-2001

space usage type in the zone input screen (zone 1 is a conference room, all other zones are offices).

One type of lighting fixture is used in all zones. Lighting fixture characteristics and schedules were

discussed earlier in this topic.

Occupants per zone are listed in the table below. Occupant heat gains and schedules were discussed

earlier in this topic.

One set of common wall, door, window and external shading constructions are used for the building.Wall orientations, wall areas, and window and door quantities for each zone are summarized in the

table below.

One common roof construction is used for the building. Roof areas are shown in the table below.

Infiltration is assumed to occur uniformly in all perimeter zones at a rate of 0.03 CFM/sqft during the

design heating season only. Zone 7 (General Core Office) does not have any external walls, therefore

there is no infiltration for this zone. Infiltration occurs only when the fan is off because the building

remains positively pressurized from the outside air when the system is running

This building uses slab floor on grade construction. The floor slab is constructed of heavy weight

concrete with an overall U-value of 0.10 BTU/(hr-sqft-F). R-11 edge insulation is used for the slab.

Zone data is shown in Table 3.1 below.


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Table 3.1 Summary of Zone Characteristics

Zone Name Floor

Dimen. (L

x W)

People Wall, Window, Door Data

Exp:(W x H), # win./#door

Roof Data

Dimen. (L x W)

Slab

Floor

Dimen.

(L x W)

Slab Exposed

Perimeter (ft)

1 - Conference Room 25 x 15 12 E: (25x12), 5 win / 0 doorsPartition: 127.5 sq.ft.

25 x 15 25 x 15 25.0

2 Asst. Manager 15 x 15 2 E: (15x12), 3 win / 0 doors 15 x 15 15 x 15 25.0

3 - Manager 20 x 15 2 E: (20x12), 4 win / 0 doors

S: (15x12), 3 win / 0 doors

20 x 15 20 x 15 35.0

4 General Perimeter 70 x 15 10 S: (70x12), 12 win / 2 doors 70 x 15 70 x 15 70.0

5 Chief Engineer 15 x 15 2 S: (15x12), 3 win / 0 doors

W: (15x12), 3 win / 0 doors

15 x 15 15 x 15 30.0

6 - Engineering 45 x 15 6 W: (45 x12), 9 win / 0 doors

Partition: 127.5 sq.ft.

45 x 15 45 x 15 45.0

7 General Core Office 70 x 45 30 Partition: 595 sqft., 0 win / 0

doors (neglect)

70 x 45 70 x 45 0

3.3.3 Gathering Air System Data

One VAV packaged rooftop unit with separate VAV boxes for each zone will provide cooling andheating to the seven zones in this building. Therefore, we will define one Block Load system to representthis equipment. Details:

Equipment Type. A VAV packaged rooftop unit with VAV boxes serving the zones will be used.All zone VAV boxes contain electric resistance heat except for zone 7, which is an interior zone

served by two VAV boxes controlled in parallel.

Ventilation. Outdoor ventilation airflow will be calculated using the ASHRAE Standard 62-2001method. Each zone will be sized on a per person basis per the ASHRAE Standard values based on theinput values entered for each zone. The minimum total supply airflow to the zones will be set at 20CFM/person. This will ensure that all zones receive a minimum air change and a base ventilation rateduring occupied periods. Block Load assumes a proportional control for ventilation air, that is thedesign outdoor air fraction is maintained at all central fan speeds. For instance, say a system with10,000 CFM of total supply air is calculated to require an outdoor air fraction at design of 35%. Thismeans that at design 3,500 CFM of ventilation air will be introduced into the building. At off-peakconditions when the VAV fan speed is reduced to say 70% of full capacity (7,000 CFM) the outdoorair fraction will remain at 35%, resulting in a ventilation rate of 2,450 CFM (35% of 7,000 CFM).

Exhaust Air. The general core area (zone 7) contains two restrooms. These will not be conditioned

directly with supply air; rather they will be ventilated only with transfer air provided from the officearea. An exhaust rate of 100 CFM per restroom (200 CFM total) will be assumed. Zone exhaust air is

entered in the zone input screen under the airflow tab.

Cooling Coil. The system provides a constant 56 F supply air temperature to the zone terminals. TheDX cooling coil is permitted to operate in all months. The bypass factor for the cooling coil is 0.100which is representative of the type of equipment we expect to select.

Supply Fan. The supply fan in the rooftop unit will be sized for a total static pressure estimated to be2.0 in wg. The coil configuration is draw-thru.


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Return Air. The system uses a ducted return air system, because this is a single story building andthe ceiling plenum is located directly under an exposed roof.

Zoning. A zone is a region of the building with one thermostatic control. One zone will be createdfor each office for a total of seven zones. See the floor plan for zone designations.

Thermostats. Thermostat settings of 75 F occupied cooling, 85 F unoccupied cooling, 70 F occupied

heating and 60 F unoccupied heating will be used in all zones. The system startup time will be 7 amwith 12 hour occupied duration. This means that at 7 pm the system will go into setup or setback andmaintain the unoccupied setpoints.

Supply Terminals. All seven VAV zones use single-duct VAV boxes. Zone 7 has no directexposure to ambient conditions so it may be a cooling-only VAV box, without electric heat. All otherVAV boxes contain integral electric heaters. The heating coils will be sized to handle both the zoneheating loads plus any heat necessary to heat the ventilation air that mixes with the return air at thecentral unit. The minimum total supply airflow to the zones (min. VAV box setting) will be 20CFM/person.

Sizing Criteria. Required zone airflow rates will be based on the peak sensible load in each zone.Safety factors will not be used in this example.

3.4 ENTERING DATAAfter weather, zone and HVAC system data has been gathered, it is entered into Block Load. This is thethird step in the design process. The procedure for entering data into Block Load is presented below in atutorial format.

1. Create a New Project

(Optional) If you only wish to view this example rather than entering all the data yourself, you can

use archive data for the example problem which is provided on the Block Load CD. To use this

archive file:

Copy the Manufacturing Office Example.E3A file from the \Example folder on the CD to the

\E20-II\Archives folder on your computer.

Using Windows Explorer, right-click on the Manufacturing Office Example.E3A file after ithas been copied. Select the Properties option on the pop-up menu that appears. On the

Properties dialog that appears, uncheck the Read-Only check box. Then press OK.

Run Block Load. Use the New option on the Project Menu to create a new untitled project.

Then use the Retrieve option on the Project Menu to retrieve the data from the Manufacturing

Office Example.E3A archive. Finally use the Save option on the Project Menu to save the

project. Use the project name Manufacturing Office Example.

Skip to step 3 below.

If you will be entering example problem data yourself, choose New on the Project menu. This

creates a new project. A project is the container which holds your data. The new project you

create will contain data for the example problem. Then choose Save on the Project menu. Because you are saving the project for the first time, you

will be asked to specify a name for the project. Use Manufacturing Office Example as theproject name. From here on, save the project periodically.

3. Enter Weather Data

Click the Weather item in the tree view in the main program window. The default weather data

appears in the list view.


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From the drop-down lists on the Weather form, choose data for U.S.A. / Missouri / St. Louis.Also select design cooling months of May through November.

4. Enter Zone Data

Entering zone data is the most labor-intensive phase of data entry. By using the programs duplicatefeature input effort can be minimized. First enter data for the 1 Conference Room zone:

Right-click on the Unattached Zones item in the tree view in the main program window. Then from

the pop-up menu select Add a New Zone. This will open the zone input form in the list view.

Alternatively, since you already know we are only using one system, you may first enter the VAV

system then add zones directly to the system. However for this tutorial we will create all zones in the

Unattached Zones category, then drag-and-drop them to the system later.

Enter data on the General tab of the zone input form..

Click on the Internals tab on the zone input form and enter data. As you enter internal load data it

will be necessary to define the unoccupied use % for lights, equipment and people. Lights and

equipment will be on 10% during unoccupied times to accommodate janitorial and security usage.

Click on the Walls, Windows, Doors tab on the zone input form and enter data. As you enter this

data it will be necessary to create wall, window and door constructions. For example, when you selectthe Wall Type input field you can create the wall construction for that exposure by choosing the

item in the wall type drop-down list. Similar procedures are used for creating

window and door constructions.

Click on the Roofs, Skylights tab on the zone input form and enter data. As you enter this data it

will be necessary to create a roof construction. With the desired exposure column in the table

highlighted, you can create a roof construction for that exposure by choosing the

item in the roof type drop-down list.

Click on the Outdoor Airflow tab on the zone input form and enter data. The OA Ventilation

requirements may be set from the drop-down list of ASHRAE space usage categories. Zone 1 is a

conference room. All other zones are offices. The infiltration rate should also be entered for heating

only at 0.03 CFM/sqft and should occur only when the fan is off. Direct exhaust is zero for all zonesexcept for zone 7, which contains the restrooms.

Click on the Floors tab on the zone input form and enter data.

Finally, click on the Partitions tab on the zone input form and enter partition data for the zones that

are adjacent to the north wall. The partition input data is contained in the zone data table.

After you have completed entering zone data click on any other branch on the tree to save the zone

data and return you back to the main program window. You might want to save your project at this

point if you havent already done so.

As mentioned previously many of the zone input values are similar. Rather than creating a new zone eachtime it is more efficient to use Block Loads duplicate feature to minimize input effort:

Right-click the 1 Conference Room zone item in the tree view portion under the unattached zonescategory. On the pop-up menu that appears, select the duplicate option. A duplicate copy of 1

Conference Room will be created, the zone input form will be launched and data for the new zone

will be displayed. Because this new zone is a copy of 1 Conference Room, we will only need to

modify items which differ.

On the General tab of the zone input form change the zone name to 2 Assistant Manager and

specify its dimensions or floor area.


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Switch to each of the other tabs on the zone input form in succession and enter data. Note that many of

the default values for this zone will not need to be changed since much of the zone data is common to

all zones. By making duplicates of successive zones, the number of items which need to be modified

will be minimized.

When finished modifying data for zone 2 Assistant Manager, click on any item in the tree to save the

zone data and return to the main program window.Enter data for the remaining zones using a procedure similar to that used for 2 Assistant Manager: Usethe duplicate feature to create successive copies of zones and modify the data for each new zone youcreate in this manner.

5. Enter System Data

Right click on the Systems item in the tree view in the main program window. Then select Add a

New System in the pop-up dialog box that appears. This will place you in the system input screen in

the data view.

Enter data for the VAV Rooftop Unit system. If you are new to the system form, make frequent use

of the help button or the on-line help features (F1 key) to learn about form operation.

On the General tab of the system input screen you will define the system type, ventilation

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