Diffusers and Air Distribution

Air distribution and movement Diffusers and grilles

The purpose of air distribution in air conditioning systems is to create the proper combination of
temperature, humidity and air movement in the conditioned space. The creation of the comfort
conditions is a function of the above parameters, which must be within specific limits for each
application (e.g. in office premises with high occupancy of people, the recommended air velocity
should be smaller than 0.35 ms!.
A feeling of discomfort can be felt if there is a lac" of uniformity in the conditioned space, or
from time differential. #uch feeling can be caused by large local temperature alterations, by air
streams of high speed or by poor air distribution in respect to the local loads.
$t has been observed that a temperature difference of 0.5
0
% results in 0.0& ms change in air
speed. $n addition, higher velocities and lower temperatures are better tolerated in the elbow area
rather than the nec" area. $n a uniform space a temperature difference of '
0
% is the ma(imum
value at which there are no complaints. )inally, for a group of rooms in a space (e.g. office floor!,
a temperature difference of '.5
0
% is accustomed.
$n general, temperature differences during the winter period result in a greater feeling of
discomfort than e*ual differences during the summer period.
The effect of air movement in the people occupying the conditioned space is shown in the table
below+
,oom air velocity (ms! -ccupants. feeling ,ecommended application
0 / 0.0&
%omplaints for sweltering
environment.
0one.
0.'3 1est velocity. All applications.
0.25
,elative good air
movement. The value of
0.25 ms reaches the
ma(imum value where
people can tolerate when
seated.
All applications.
0.33
0ot good. 3apers are
drifted from the des".
4ost applications.
0.3&
5ighest value for people
moving in wor" areas.
%ommercial stores.
0.3& / '.52
These values are good only
for industrial applications.
The higher values are
applicable for deduction of
locali6ed loads only.
$n order to achieve the above re*uisites, air is supplied and e(tracted to and from the conditioned
spaces by means of suitable air diffusers and air grilles through which the air flow, velocity and
throw pattern can be regulated for specific demands.
The air comes through the diffusers in much larger velocities and different temperatures than the
ones tolerated in the space. Due to diffusion, the velocity and the temperature differences are
gradually decreased until they reach the tolerable limits. The phenomenon is described as follows+
the air that comes out from a diffuser / the primary airstream, drifts the e(isting air in the space,
creating the secondary airstream. The above masses of air mi( together to create the final
airstream.

Air diffusers selection
The selection of the suitable diffuser is of high importance, since this selection determines the
attainment of the desired conditions. The criteria for the diffusers selection are the following+
'. Air )low
The air flow re*uired to go through a diffuser is the main selection criterion. The air flow
combined with the re*uired throw, the noise level and the allowable pressure drop determine the
si6e of the diffuser.
2. Throw
Throw (T! is defined as the hori6ontal distance from the diffuser to a point in the mi(ed
airstream, where the ma(imum sustained velocity has been reduced to a specific value, namely
7t. The terminal velocity 7t is usually determined at 0.2 ms, while depending on the application
can be 0.3 ms or 0.5 ms.
The throw for air grilles installed on walls are calculated for 2.5 / 3.0 m height from the floor.
8hen more than one wall grilles are placed opposite each other, they must be selected for e*ual
air flows and a throw e*ual to half of the distance between them.
)or a given throw the air velocity in the room 7r will increase or decrease inversely with the
installation height of the grille. %ounter to, for a given diffuser si6e, air flow and 7r, the throw
will decrease '0 cm for every meter increase in installation height when this e(ceeds 3 m.
The throw is a function of air velocity, the reduction of which is proportional to the air *uantity of
the room that is drifted by the primary airstream. This *uantity is proportional to the diffuser.s
perimeter9 hence, for two diffusers of e*ual area, the one with the bigger perimeter has the
smaller throw.
)or grilles installed on walls, the throw is selected to be e*ual to the : of the distance from the
grille to the opposite wall.
3. Drop
Drop is the vertical distance between the grille.s a(is and the intersection of the airstream at the
end of the throw.
8hen the air that comes out from a diffuser is colder that the air in the space it has greater density
and tends to (being heavier! descent, creating the phenomenon of drop. The drop is proportional
to the temperature difference ;< between the cold airstream and the air in the room. Drop is also
proportional to the throw and in reverse to the discharge velocity 7".
$f there is no temperature difference, the airstream has a smaller drop due to its vertical e(pansion
as it mi(es with the air in the room. The value of the drop is appro(imately '0 cm for every 2.5 m
of throw. The phenomenon of drop is important for the feeling of comfort and its value should be
such so that the airstream in an occupied area (at a height of '.& m from the floor! does not have a
velocity that could cause annoyance.
%=$>$0?
)>--,
@. Diffusion and Deflection
The air that comes out of a diffuser, when there are no obstacles in the air stream, ta"es the form
of a symmetrical beam (normally conical!. $f for a given distance from the diffuser we consider
an intersection vertical to the a(is of the beam, we call deflection (s! the ma(imum distance from
the beam.s symmetry a(is. Diffusion (h! is the ma(imum distance between the two e(tremes
(Diffusion A 2 ( Deflection!.
The distance between the centres of two adBacent diffusers should (at least! e*ual the value of the
diffusion of one of the diffusers for the re*uired throw. The distance from the centre of the
diffuser to the adBustment wall should (at least! e*ual the deflection of the diffuser for the
re*uired throw.

5. 3ressure Drop
Diffusers cause a pressure drop in the airstream that must be ta"en into account when calculating
the pressure drop of the fan. The passage of air through a diffuser causes a pressure drop due to
the conversion of the air energy to speed and due to friction phenomena in the diffuser itself.
#pecial consideration should be given to returne(traction grilles, since the necessary pressure
difference should be sufficient to push a mass of air through an opening and accelerate it from a
low velocity to the higher duct velocity.
C. Discharge 7elocity, Throw 7elocity and ,oom 7elocity
Discharge velocity 7" is the velocity of air that comes through a diffuser, measured at a distance
of 2.5 cm from the diffuser. Throw velocity 7t is the ma(imum velocity at the limit of a specific
throw distance. ,oom velocity 7r is the velocity of the air in the space. The room velocity is the
value that affects the comfort conditions and is a function of the throw (T!, the terminal velocity
7t, the temperature difference, as well as a function of any obstacles the air stream meets (beams,
luminaires, etc.!. The recommended velocity values for various applications are shown on the
table below.
Discharge velocity Vk (m/s) Applications
'.5 / 2.5 >ibraries, #tudios
2.5 / 3.& ,esidences, -ffices, 5otel rooms
@.0 ,etail stores, ,estaurants
5.0 5alls, ?yms
D.0 )actories, >arge stores

D. 0oise >evel
As the air comes through a diffuser, noise is generated. The measurement of this noise is
necessary in order not to e(ceed the limits of comfort 6one. As the noise level is related to the
discharge velocity, the limitation of the velocity holds the noise within normal levels. $ndicatory
values for the noise level are shown on the table below (T==E?ree" Technical %hamber
instructions!.
Space / Application Noise level (d(A))
%oncert halls, ,ecording studios 25
1edrooms, >ecture rooms, >ibraries 30
,esidences, 5otel rooms, 5ospital
rooms, -ffices, ,estaurants, %inemas
35
,etail stores, >aboratories, 8aiting
rooms
@0
Fitchens, #erver rooms, #uper
mar"ets
50
>ight industry C0

&. 3osition of diffusers
Diffusers must be positioned in places where unwanted air drafts caused by loads are neutrali6ed.
$f for e(ample there is a heating source in the conditioned space, its thermal effect can be
counterbalanced by directing a cool air stream towards it, or by placing a return grille near it.
As far as supply diffusers are concerned, the best position is near the ceiling in order to avoid
annoying drafts. The selection of the re*uired throw should be made conservative and should not
e(ceed the : of the distance from opposite walls. A larger throw will cause annoyance, while a
small throw rarely causes any problems. The placement of supply diffusers near windows and
glass walls is recommended in order to reduce the effects of radiation and unwanted drafts.
)or return grilles it is advised to avoid the use of large grilles in areas occupied by people, as the
large masses of return air could create drafts. The use of volume dampers for the flow control
should also be ta"en into account as the turbulence that a closed damper produces results in high
noise levels. $n general the use of volume dampers in the air ducts and away from the grilles is
advised.
8here possible, the return of air through ceiling diffusers and grilles should be avoided9 during
winter the warm air masses will not reach the areas near the floor, while during summer there is
the possibility that the cool air will byEpass before reducing the space loads.
The optimum solution is to use wall grilles for return air, placed near to the floor9 in winter the
colder air near the floor is e(tracted first and is replaced by warmer air streams, while in summer
the air stream follows its e(pected flow. $n addition, the return of air through floor grilles should
be avoided, as the grille will act as a vacuum cleaner resulting in collection of dust in the filters
and a reduction in the efficiency of coils in the air conditioning units.
-n the side, the inta"e velocity in returne(traction grilles is noticeable only in areas close to
them and does not considerably affect the movement of air in the space. $n general, for supply
and return ducts of the same area and frontal velocity on the edges, the '0G of this velocity is
met at a distance of 30 e*uivalent diameters for the supply grille, while the same velocity is met
at a distance of one e*uivalent diameter from the return grille.