Glossary

HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) is a major subdiscipline of mechanical engineering. The goal of
HVAC design is to balance indoor environmental comfort with other factors such as installation cost, ease of
maintenance, and energy efficiency. The discipline of HVAC includes a large number of specialized terms and
acronyms, many of which are summarized in this glossary.
Air Changes Per Hour
The hourly ventilation rate divided by the volume of a space. For perfectly mixed air or laminar flow
spaces, this is equal to the number of times per hour that the volume the space is exchanged by
mechanical and natural ventilation. Also called air change rate or air exchange rate.
Abbreviated ACH or ac/hr.
Air Conditioner
An appliance, system, or mechanism designed to dehumidify and extract heat from an area. Usually this
term is reserved for smaller self contained units such as a residential system.

Air Handler/Air Handling Unit

A central unit consisting of a blower, heating and cooling elements, filter racks or chamber, dampers,
humidifier, and other central equipment in direct contact with the airflow. This does not include the
ductwork through the building. Abbreviated AH or AHU.

British thermal unit (BTU)

Any of several units of energy (heat) in the HVAC industry, each slightly more than 1 kJ. One BTU is the
energy required to raise one pound of water one degree Fahrenheit, but the many different types of BTU
are based on different interpretations of this “definition”. In the United States the power of HVAC systems
(the rate of cooling and dehumidifying or heating) is sometimes expressed in BTU/hour instead of watts.
Abbreviated BTU or Btu.

Central Air-Conditioning
Central air conditioning (or central A/C) is a system in which air is cooled at a central location and
distributed to and from rooms by one or more fans and ductwork. Lennox® central air conditioners are
among the quietest and most energy-efficient units you can buy.
Centrifugal Fan
A centrifugal fan is a mechanical device for moving air or other gases.

Chiller
A device that removes heat from a liquid via a vapor-compression or absorption refrigeration cycle. This
cooled liquid flows through pipes in a building and passes through coils in air handlers, fan-coil units, or
other systems, cooling and usually dehumidifying the air in the building. Chillers are of two types; air-
cooled or water-cooled. Air-cooled chillers are usually outside and consist of condenser coils cooled by
fan-driven air. Water-cooled chillers are usually inside a building, and heat from these chillers is carried by
recirculating water to a heat sink such as an outdoor cooling tower.

Coil
Equipment that performs heat transfer to air when mounted inside an air handling unit or ductwork. It is
heated or cooled by electrical means or by circulating liquid or steam within it.

Compressor
An AC or heat pump compressor is the part of an outdoor air conditioner or heat pump that compresses
and pumps refrigerant to meet household cooling requirements.
Condenser
A component in the basic refrigeration cycle that ejects or removes heat from the system. The condenser
is the hot side of an air conditioner or heat pump. Condensers are heat exchangers, and can transfer heat
to air or to an intermediate fluid (such as water or an aqueous solution of ethylene glycol) to carry heat to
a distant sink, such as ground (earth sink), a body of water, or air (as with cooling towers).

Constant Air Volume

A system designed to provide a constant air flow. This term is applied to HVAC systems that have variable
supply-air temperature but constant air flow rates. Most residential forced-air systems are small CAV
systems with on/off control. Abbreviated CAV.
Controller
A device that controls the operation of part or all of a system. It may simply turn a device on and off, or it
may more subtly modulate the set point of components. Most controllers are automatic but have user
input such as temperature set points, e.g. a thermostat. Controls may be analog or digital.

Cubic Feet Per Minute (CFM)

Cubic Feet Per Minute (CFM) is a measurement of airflow volume, determined by how many cubic feet of
air pass by a stationary point in one minute. Having an accurate estimate of your home’s CFM is key to
choosing an HVAC system with the right capacity for your space and needs.
Damper
A plate or gate placed in a duct to control air flow by increasing friction in the duct.

Decibel (dB)
A decibel (dB) is a unit used to measure the relative intensity of sound. For example, sound levels in a
library are normally about 40 dB, normal conversations range from about 50 to 60 dB, and an operating
motorcycle or garbage truck can be as high as 100 dB.
ΔT
(Also delta T) a reference to a temperature difference. It is used to describe the difference in temperature
of a heating or cooling medium as it enters and as it leaves a system.
Duct
Specialized housing for the air flow.

Dehumidifier
A dehumidifier is the equipment that extracts and removes humidity from the air. It works by cooling air
to the point where water turns to liquid from vapor form and then the liquid is removed.
Diffuser
A diffuser is placed over ductwork, and it separates air with vanes going in differing directions. It evenly
distributes air flow in the desired directions.
Dry Bulb Temperature
Dry bulb temperature is the temperature of air measured by a thermometer which is freely exposed to
the air while it is shielded from radiation and moisture. It is usually thought of as air temperature, and it is
the true thermodynamic temperature. It is a measurement of heat intensity independently of humidity
and a dry bulb thermometer is used to measure it.
Dry Bulb Thermometer
A dry bulb thermometer is a device that measures air temperature independently of humidity. It is freely
exposed to the air it is measuring and is protected from the radiation and moisture.
Economizer
 An HVAC component that uses outside air, under suitable climate conditions, to reduce required
mechanical cooling. When the outside air’s enthalpy is less than the required supply air during a call for
cooling, an economizer allows a building’s mechanical ventilation system to use up to the maximum
amount of outside air.
Enthalpy
For a given sample of air, a measure of the total heat content (the sum of the heat energy of the dry air
and heat energy of the water vapor within it). It is typically used to determine the amount of fresh outside
air that can be added to recirculate air for the lowest cooling cost.
Evaporator
A component in the basic refrigeration cycle that absorbs or adds heat to the system. Evaporators can be
used to absorb heat from air or from a liquid. The evaporator is the cold side of an air conditioner or heat
pump.

Fan Coil Unit

A small terminal unit that is often composed of only a blower and a heating and/or cooling coil, as is often
used in hotels, condominiums, or apartments.

Fresh Air Fan

Fresh air fraction quantifies action of the economizer, and is defined by (Mass flow rate of fresh-air / Total
air flow rate.

Fresh Air Intake

An opening through which outside air is drawn into the building. This may be to replace air in the building
that has been exhausted by the ventilation system, or to provide fresh air for combustion of fuel.
Abbreviated FAI.

Furnace
A component of an HVAC system that adds heat to air or an intermediate fluid by burning fuel (natural
gas, oil, propane, butane, or other flammable substances) in a heat exchanger.

Gas Furnace Heat Exchanger

A gas furnace heat exchanger is responsible for the transfer of heat from inside the furnace into the air
outside the furnace. The duct system then transfers this exchanged air to different rooms in the building
or space.
Grille
A facing across a duct opening, often rectangular in shape, containing multiple parallel slots through
which air may be delivered or withdrawn from a ventilated space. The grille directs the air flow in a
particular direction and prevents the passage of large items.

Heating Coil
A heating coil is the part of the system that conducts heat. It allows electricity to act as fire.

Heat Exchanger
A heat exchanger is the part of the system that transfers heat from the hot parts of the machine or a
system to the cold parts of the machine or system.

Heat Gain/Heat Load/Heat Loss

Terms for the amount of cooling (heat gain) or heating (heat loss) needed to maintain desired
temperatures and humidities in controlled air. Regardless of how well-insulated and sealed a building is,
 buildings gain heat from sunlight, conduction through the walls, and internal heat sources such as people
and electrical equipment. Buildings lose heat through conduction during cold weather. Engineers use heat
load calculations to determine the HVAC needs of the space being cooled or heated.
Heat Pump
A heat pump is a compressor that cycles hot or cold air. It is a device that is designed to move thermal
energy in the opposite direction of heat flow by absorbing heat from a cold space which is released to a
warmer space.
Heat Transfer
Heat transfer happens when heat moves from one area to another. It is an important and vital step in the
process of cooling a space.

HEPA Filter

A High Efficiency Particulate Absorbing filter. A HEPA filter removes particles from the air by trapping
them as air flows through.

Humidity
The amount of moisture in the air. Variable speed systems can reduce this moisture for added
comfort.

hspf - (Heating Seasonal Performance Factor)

Heating Seasonal Performance Factor is the measurement of heat efficiency over the period of a heating
season.

Humidifier
A humidifier is a device that adds moisture to indoor air in a single room or throughout an entire house.
Whole-home humidifiers may use the fan in your furnace or air handler to blow humidified air throughout
the ductwork, or they may work independently of your heating and cooling system to maintain humidity
levels even when the furnace or air handler isn’t operating.
Intermediate Fluid
A liquid or gas used to transfer heat between two heat exchangers. An intermediate fluid is used when
the hot and cold fluids are too bulky (such as air) or difficult to handle (such as halocarbon refrigerant) to
directly transfer the heat.

Louver
1. Components made of multiple smaller blades, sometimes adjustable, placed in ducts or duct entries to
control the volume of air flow. When used inside of ducts, their function is similar to that of a damper, but
they can be manufactured to fit larger openings than a single-piece damper.
2. Blades in a rectangular frame placed in doors or walls to permit the movement of air.

Makeup Air Unit

An air handler that conditions 100% outside air. Typically used in industrial or commercial settings, or in
"once-through" (blower sections that only blow air one-way into the building), "low flow" (air handling
systems that blow air at a low flow rate), or "primary-secondary" (air handling systems that have an air
handler or rooftop unit connected to an add-on makeup unit or hood) commercial HVAC systems.
Abbreviated MAU.

Outside Air Temperature

 A measure of the air temperature outside a building. The temperature and humidity of air inside and
outside the building are used in enthalpy calculations to determine when outside air can be used for free
heating or cooling. Abbreviated OAT.

Packaged Terminal Air Conditioner

An air conditioner and heater combined into a single, electrically powered unit, typically installed through
a wall and often found in hotels. Abbreviated PTAC.

Packaged Unit

An air-handling unit, defined as either "recirculating" or "once-through" design, made specifically for
outdoor installation. They most often include, internally, their own heating and cooling devices. Very
common in some regions, particularly in single-story commercial buildings. Also called a rooftop unit
(RTU)

Plenum Space
An enclosed space inside a building or other structure, used for airflow. Often refers to the space between
a dropped ceiling and the structural ceiling, or a raised floor and the hard floor. Distinct from ductwork as
a plenum is part of the structure itself. Cable and piping within a plenum must be properly rated for its
fire and smoke indices. See also: plenum chamber

Psychrometric
The study of the behavior of air-water vapor mixtures. Water vapor plays an important role in energy
transfer and human comfort in HVAC design.

Rooftop Unit (RTU)

Same as Air handler.

Radiant Ceiling Panels

Usually metal panels suspended under the ceiling, insulated from the building structure. The primary
cooling/heating agent temperature is close to the room's temperature.

Radiant Floor
A type of radiant heating system where the building floor contains channels or tubes through which hot
fluids such as air or water are circulated. The whole floor is evenly heated. Thus, the room is heated from
the bottom up. Radiant floor heating eliminates the draft and dust problems associated with forced air
heating systems.

Radiation
The transfer of heat directly from one surface to another (without heating the intermediate air acting as a
transfer mechanism).

Refrigerant
A chemical that produces a cooling effect while expanding or vaporizing. Most residential air-conditioning
units contain the standard R-22 refrigerant, or freon.
Relative Humidity
The ratio of the amount of moisture in the air compared to the amount of moisture the air could hold at
the current temperature, expressed as a percentage.
SEER
The SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) rating of a unit is the cooling output during a typical cooling-
season divided by the total electric energy input during the same period. The higher the unit's SEER rating
the more energy efficient it is.

Smoke Damper
A damper or adjustable louver designed to augment the ventilation of a space during a fire.

Split System
A split system is the combination of an outdoor unit and an indoor unit. This is the most common type of
system.

Superheat
A number of degrees a vapor is above its boiling point at a specific pressure.

SubCooling
The condition where liquid refrigerant is colder than the minimum temperature required to keep it from
boiling which would change it from a liquid to a gas phase. Subcooling is the difference between its
saturation temperature and the actual liquid refrigerant temperature.
System
General term used to refer to the set or a subset of components that perform a specific HVAC function
within a building.

Terminal Unit
A small component that contains a heating coil, cooling coil, automatic damper, or some combination of
the three. Used to control the temperature of a single room. Abbreviated TU.

Thermal Zone
An individual space or group of neighboring indoor spaces that the HVAC designer expects will have
similar thermal loads. Building codes may require zoning to save energy in commercial buildings. Zones
are defined in the building to reduce the number of HVAC subsystems, and thus initial cost. For example,
for perimeter offices, rather than one zone for each office, all offices facing west can be combined into
one zone. Small residences typically have only one conditioned thermal zone, plus unconditioned spaces
such as garages, attics, and crawlspaces, and basements.

Thermostat
A thermostat is a system that monitors and regulates a heating or cooling system. It can be used to set the
desired temperature at which it keeps the environment either heated or cooled.
Ton
Unit of measurement for determining cooling capacity. One ton equals 12,000 Btuh.
Two-stage (cooling and heating)
A two-stage air conditioner is designed to operate on high and low settings during different weather
conditions and seasons. The high setting is used during extreme weather, and the low setting is used
during moderate weather. This type of air conditioner produces a balanced temperature and is in use for
a longer period of time.

txv - Thermostatic Expansion Valve

 A thermostatic expansion valve is a piece of equipment that meters the flow of liquid refrigerant into the
evaporator while measuring the vapor refrigerant leaving the evaporator. It thereby controls the
superheating at the outlet of the evaporator.

Unitary controller
A unitary controller is a device that controls only one zone in a building.

Variable Air Volume

An HVAC system that has a stable supply-air temperature, and varies the air flow rate to meet the
temperature requirements. Compared to constant air volume systems, these systems conserve energy
through lower fan speeds during times of lower temperature control demand. Most new commercial
buildings have VAV systems. VAVs may be bypass type or pressure dependent. Pressure dependent type
VAVs save energy while both types help in maintaining temperature of the zone that it feeds.
Abbreviated VAV.

Zoning system
A zoning system sections a building or a space into zones which are controlled independently of each
other. This is beneficial when different areas or rooms of a building have different temperatures as well as
when the desired temperatures in different rooms are different. Temperature is controlled by different
thermostats.