HVAC Engineer Course

Lesson 1 • Fluid Mechanics and Airflow Basics

Introduces pressure, flow rate, and Bernoulli's principle as applied to duct and pipe systems. Provides the fluid dynamics foundation for duct and hydronic design.

Lesson 2 • Heat Transfer Mechanisms

Teaches conduction, convection, and radiation as they occur in building envelopes and HVAC equipment. Connects heat transfer theory to load calculation methods.

Lesson 3 • Overview of HVAC System Types

Surveys all-air, all-water, air-water, and refrigerant-based systems and their typical applications. Frames the scope of the course and contextualizes later detailed study.

Lesson 4 • Thermodynamics for HVAC Engineers

Covers laws of thermodynamics, enthalpy, and energy balance relevant to heating and cooling cycles. Establishes the physical basis for all subsequent HVAC analysis.

Lesson 1 • Load Calculation Software and Validation

Introduces industry load calculation software workflows and output interpretation. Teaches manual cross-checks to validate software results and identify input errors.

Lesson 2 • Heating Load Calculation Methods

Applies steady-state heat loss calculations to determine peak heating demand for each zone. Addresses ventilation preheating and infiltration as critical heating load components.

Lesson 3 • Cooling Load Calculation Methods

Applies the radiant time series and heat balance methods to compute peak cooling loads. Covers internal gains from occupants, lighting, and equipment as load components.

Lesson 4 • Design Conditions and Weather Data

Covers outdoor design temperatures, coincident wet-bulb values, and degree-day data used to set calculation boundaries. Ensures load calculations reflect realistic worst-case climate conditions.

Lesson 1 • Chiller Systems and Performance Metrics

Covers chiller plant configurations, integrated part-load value, and efficiency ratings at full and part load. Prepares engineers to specify and evaluate chiller plants for large commercial buildings.

Lesson 2 • Condensers and Evaporators

Examines air-cooled, water-cooled, and evaporative condensers alongside direct-expansion and flooded evaporators. Addresses heat exchanger sizing and fouling factors for reliable operation.

Lesson 3 • Vapor-Compression Refrigeration Cycle

Analyzes the four-stage refrigeration cycle on pressure-enthalpy diagrams and calculates COP. Provides the analytical framework for evaluating all mechanical cooling equipment.

Lesson 4 • Compressor Types and Selection

Covers reciprocating, scroll, screw, and centrifugal compressors with performance curves and selection criteria. Links compressor choice to system capacity, efficiency, and part-load behavior.

Lesson 1 • Air Terminal Units and Diffusers

Covers VAV boxes, fan-powered terminals, diffusers, grilles, and registers with selection criteria. Connects terminal selection to zone comfort, noise, and airflow control requirements.

Lesson 2 • Duct Insulation and Sealing

Specifies insulation levels and sealing requirements to minimize thermal losses and air leakage. Directly impacts system energy efficiency and indoor air quality outcomes.

Lesson 3 • Pressure Loss Calculations

Calculates friction losses in straight ducts and dynamic losses at fittings using loss coefficients. Enables engineers to determine total system pressure and select appropriate fans.

Lesson 4 • Duct System Design Principles

Introduces equal-friction, static regain, and velocity reduction duct sizing methods. Establishes the design approach used throughout the chapter for sizing supply and return ducts.

Lesson 1 • Expansion Tanks and System Accessories

Sizes expansion tanks, air separators, and pressure relief valves to maintain safe system pressure. Ensures system integrity and prevents air-related flow problems.

Lesson 2 • Hydronic System Configurations

Compares one-pipe, two-pipe, three-pipe, and four-pipe hydronic arrangements and their trade-offs. Sets the configuration context for all subsequent piping and pump design work.

Lesson 3 • Hydronic Balancing and Commissioning

Applies manual and automatic balancing valve techniques to achieve design flow at each terminal. Verifies system performance through commissioning measurements and documentation.

Lesson 4 • Pipe Sizing and Pressure Drop

Sizes hydronic piping using velocity and pressure drop criteria to minimize energy use and noise. Applies Darcy-Weisbach and fitting loss methods to complete piping circuits.

Lesson 1 • Ventilation Rate Determination

Calculates outdoor air requirements using occupancy-based and area-based ventilation rate procedures. Establishes minimum outdoor air quantities that drive all subsequent ventilation design decisions.

Lesson 2 • Air Filtration Technologies

Covers MERV-rated mechanical filters, HEPA filters, and electronic air cleaners with selection criteria. Addresses pressure drop impact on fan energy and system airflow.

Lesson 3 • Energy Recovery Ventilation

Evaluates heat wheels, plate exchangers, and run-around coils for recovering energy from exhaust air. Quantifies energy savings and payback to justify energy recovery system selection.

Lesson 4 • Indoor Air Quality Contaminants

Identifies biological, chemical, and particulate contaminants and their sources within buildings. Connects contaminant types to appropriate control strategies covered in subsequent sections.

Lesson 1 • Building Automation System Architecture

Explains BAS network layers, communication protocols, and integration with enterprise systems. Enables engineers to specify BAS hardware and software for complex multi-system buildings.

Lesson 2 • Sensors and Actuators

Covers temperature, humidity, pressure, CO2, and flow sensors with accuracy and placement requirements. Addresses actuator types and fail-safe positions for dampers and valves.

Lesson 3 • Control System Fundamentals

Introduces open-loop and closed-loop control, PID tuning, and control terminology. Provides the control theory foundation required for all HVAC sequence design work.

Lesson 4 • Control Sequences for Air Systems

Writes sequences of operation for AHUs, VAV systems, and economizers using industry sequence templates. Translates load requirements into actionable control logic for air-side equipment.

Lesson 1 • Energy Benchmarking and Auditing

Applies energy use intensity benchmarking and ASHRAE-level audit procedures to identify waste. Provides the diagnostic framework for prioritizing energy conservation measures.

Lesson 2 • Supply-Side HVAC Optimization

Applies variable-speed drives, supply air temperature reset, and chilled-water plant optimization to reduce energy. Directly targets the largest energy consumers in commercial HVAC systems.

Lesson 3 • Demand-Side Energy Conservation Measures

Evaluates envelope upgrades, lighting retrofits, and plug load management as demand reduction strategies. Quantifies load reductions that reduce HVAC equipment sizing and operating hours.

Lesson 4 • Energy Modeling Fundamentals

Introduces whole-building energy simulation tools, input data requirements, and output interpretation. Establishes the modeling workflow used to evaluate all energy conservation measures in this chapter.