HVAC Formulas

HVAC FORMULAS
TON OF REFRIGERATION - The amount of heat required to melt

a ton (2000 lbs.) of ice at 32°F
288,000 BTU/24 hr.

12,000 BTU/hr.
APPROXIMATELY 2 inches in Hg. (mercury) = 1 psi
WORK = Force (energy exerted) X Distance

Example: A 150 lb. man climbs a flight of stairs 100 ft.
high
Work = 150 lb. X 100 ft.
Work = 15,000 ft.-lb.
ONE HORSEPOWER = 33,000 ft.-lb. of work in 1 minute
ONE HORSEPOWER = 746 Watts
CONVERTING KW to BTU:
1 KW = 3413 BTU’s
Example: A 20 KW heater (20 KW X 3413 BTU/KW = 68,260 BTU’s
CONVERTING BTU to KW:

3413 BTU’s = 1 KW
Example: A 100,000 BTU/hr. oil or gas furnace
(100,000 ÷ 3413 = 29.3 KW)
COULOMB = 6.24 X 1018 (1 Coulomb = 1 Amp)
E = voltage (emf)
I = Amperage (current)
R = Resistance (load)
WATTS (POWER) = volts x amps or P = E x I
P(in KW) = E x I
1,000
U FACTOR = reciprocal of R factor

Example:
1 R = .05U
19
= BTU’s transferred / 1 Sq.Ft. / 1ºF / 1 Hour
VA (how the secondary of a transformer is rated) = volts X amps
Example: 24V x .41A = 10 VA
ONE FARAD CAPACITY = 1 amp. stored under 1 volt of pressure
MFD (microfarad) = 1 Farad

1,000,000
LRA (Locked rotor amps) = FLA (Full Load Amps)

5
LRA = FLA x 5
TXV (shown in equilibrium)
46.7 Bulb Pressure

_______________
Spring
Pressure 9.7 37 Evaporator Pressure
Bulb Pressure = opening force

Spring and Evaporator Pressures = closing forces
RPM of motor = 60Hz x 120_

No. of Poles
1800 RPM Motor – slippage makes it about 1750

3600 RPM Motor – slippage makes it about 3450
DRY AIR = 78.0% Nitrogen

21.0% Oxygen
1.0% Other Gases
WET AIR = Same as dry air plus water vapor
SPECIFIC DENSITY = 1_______

Specific Volume
SPECIFIC DENSITY OF AIR = __1__ = .075 lbs./cu.ft.

13.33
STANDARD AIR = .24 Specific Heat (BTU’s needed

to raise 1 lb. 1 degree)
SENSIBLE HEAT FORMULA (Furnaces):
BTU/hr. – Specific Heat X Specific Density X 60 min./hr. =

X CFM X ∆T
.24 X .075 X 60 X CFM X ∆T = 1.08 X CFM X ∆T
ENTHALPHY = Sensible heat and Latent heat
TOTAL HEAT FORMULA

(for cooling, humidifying or dehumidifying)
BTU/hr. = Specific Density X 60 min./hr. X CFM X ∆H
= 0.75 x 60 x CFM x ∆H
= 4.5 x CFM x ∆H
RELATIVE HUMIDITY = __Moisture present___

Moisture air can hold
SPECIFIC HUMIDITY = grains of moisture per dry air
7000 GRAINS in 1 lb. of water
DEW POINT = when wet bulb equals dry bulb
TOTAL PRESSURE (Ductwork) = Static Pressure plus

Velocity Pressure
CFM = Area (sq. ft.) X Velocity (ft. min.)
HOW TO CALCULATE AREA
Rectangular Duct Round Duct
A = L x W A = πD2__ OR πr2
4
RETURN AIR GRILLES – Net free area = about 75%
3 PHASE VOLTAGE UNBALANCE =
100 x maximum deg. from average volts

Average Volts
NET OIL PRESSURE = Gross Oil Pressure – Suction Pressure
COMPRESSION RATIO = Discharge Pressure Absolute
Suction Pressure Absolute
HEAT PUMP AUXILIARY HEAT – sized at 100% of load
ARI HEAT PUMP RATING POINTS (SEER Ratings) 47° 17°
NON-BLEND REFRIGERANTS:
Constant Pressure = Constant Temperature during

Saturated Condition
BLENDS – Rising Temperature during Saturated Condition
28 INCHES OF WC = 1 psi
NATURAL GAS COMBUSTION:
Excess Air = 50%

15 ft.3 of air to burn 1 ft.3 of methane produces:
16 ft.3 of flue gases:
1 ft.3 of oxygen
12 ft.3 of nitrogen
1 ft.3 of carbon dioxide

2 ft.3 of water vapor
Another 15 ft.3 of air is added at the draft hood
GAS PIPING (Sizing – CF/hr.) = Input BTU’s

Heating Value
Example: ___ 80,000 Input BTU’s____________

1000 (Heating Value per CF of Natural Gas)
= 80 CF/hr.
Example: _________ 80,000 Input BTU’s_________

2550 (Heating Value per CF of Propane)
= 31 CF/hr.
FLAMMABILITY LIMITS Propane Butane_ Natural Gas
2.4-9.5 1.9-8.5 4-14
COMBUSTION AIR NEEDED Propane Natural Gas
(PC=Perfect Combustion) 23.5 ft.3 (PC) 10 ft.3 (PC)
(RC=Real Combustion) 36 ft.3 (RC) 15 ft.3 (RC)
ULTIMATE CO2 13.7% 11.8%
CALCULATING OIL NOZZLE SIZE (GPH):
_BTU Input___ = Nozzle Size (GPH)

140,000 BTU’s
OR
_______ BTU Output___________

140,000 X Efficiency of Furnace
FURNACE EFFICIENCY:
% Efficiency = energy output

energy input
OIL BURNER STACK TEMPERATURE (Net) = Highest Stack

Temperature minus
Room Temperature
Example: 520° Stack Temp. – 70° Room Temp. = Net Stack

Temperature of 450°
KELVIN TO CELSIUS: C = K – 273
CELSIUS TO KELVIN: K = C + 273
ABSOLUTE TEMPERATURE MEASURED IN KELVINS
SINE = side opposite COSINE = side adjacent

sin hypotenuse cos hypotenuse
TANGENT = side opposite

tan side adjacent
PERIMETER OF SQUARE: P = 4s P = Perimeter

s = side
PERIMETER OF RECTANGLE: P = 2l + 2w P – Perimeter

l = length
w = width
PERIMETER OF TRIANGLE: P = a + b + c P = Perimeter

a = 1st side
b = 2nd side
c = 3rd side
PERIMETER OF CIRCLE: C = πD C = Circumference

C = 2πr π = 3.1416
D = Diameter
r = radius
AREA OF SQUARE: a = s2 A = Area
s = side
AREA OF RECTANGLE: A = lw A = Area

l = length
w = width
AREA OF TRIANGLE: A = 1/2bh A = Area

b = base
h = height
AREA OF CIRCLE: A = πr2 A = Area

π = 3.1416
A = π D2 r = radius
4 D = Diameter
VOLUME OF RECTANGULAR SOLID:

V = l wh V = Volume
l = length
w = width
h = height
VOLUME OF CYLINDRICAL SOLID:

V = πr2h V = Volume
π = 3.1416
V = π D2h r = radius
4 D = Diameter
h = height
CAPACITANCE IN SERIES:
C = ______1________________
1 + 1 + . . . . .
C1 C2
CAPACITANCE IN PARALLEL:
C = C1 + C2 + . . . . .
GAS LAWS:
Boyle’s Law: P1 V 1 = P2 V 2 P = Pressure (absolute)

V = Volume
Charles’ Law: P1 = P2 P = Pressure (absolute)

T1 T2 T = Temperature (absolute)
General
Gas Law: P1 V 1 P2 V 2 P = Pressure (absolute)
_____ = _____ V = Volume
T1 T2 T = Temperature (absolute)
PYTHAGOREAN THEOREM:
C2 = a2 + b2 c = hypotenuse
a & b = sides

HVAC Formulas

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HVAC Formulas

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What are some common formulas used in HVAC?

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What are the different gas laws and how are they related?

HVAC FORMULAS

TON OF REFRIGERATION - The amount of heat required to melt

288,000 BTU/24 hr.

APPROXIMATELY 2 inches in Hg. (mercury) = 1 psi

WORK = Force (energy exerted) X Distance

ONE HORSEPOWER = 33,000 ft.-lb. of work in 1 minute

ONE HORSEPOWER = 746 Watts

CONVERTING BTU to KW:

WATTS (POWER) = volts x amps or P = E x I

U FACTOR = reciprocal of R factor

Example: 24V x .41A = 10 VA

ONE FARAD CAPACITY = 1 amp. stored under 1 volt of pressure

MFD (microfarad) = 1 Farad

LRA (Locked rotor amps) = FLA (Full Load Amps)

TXV (shown in equilibrium)

46.7 Bulb Pressure

Bulb Pressure = opening force

RPM of motor = 60Hz x 120_

1800 RPM Motor – slippage makes it about 1750

DRY AIR = 78.0% Nitrogen

WET AIR = Same as dry air plus water vapor

SPECIFIC DENSITY = 1_______

SPECIFIC DENSITY OF AIR = __1__ = .075 lbs./cu.ft.

STANDARD AIR = .24 Specific Heat (BTU’s needed

BTU/hr. – Specific Heat X Specific Density X 60 min./hr. =

.24 X .075 X 60 X CFM X ∆T = 1.08 X CFM X ∆T

ENTHALPHY = Sensible heat and Latent heat

TOTAL HEAT FORMULA

BTU/hr. = Specific Density X 60 min./hr. X CFM X ∆H

RELATIVE HUMIDITY = __Moisture present___

SPECIFIC HUMIDITY = grains of moisture per dry air

7000 GRAINS in 1 lb. of water

DEW POINT = when wet bulb equals dry bulb

TOTAL PRESSURE (Ductwork) = Static Pressure plus

CFM = Area (sq. ft.) X Velocity (ft. min.)

HOW TO CALCULATE AREA

Rectangular Duct Round Duct

RETURN AIR GRILLES – Net free area = about 75%

3 PHASE VOLTAGE UNBALANCE =

100 x maximum deg. from average volts

HEAT PUMP AUXILIARY HEAT – sized at 100% of load

ARI HEAT PUMP RATING POINTS (SEER Ratings) 47° 17°

Constant Pressure = Constant Temperature during

BLENDS – Rising Temperature during Saturated Condition

NATURAL GAS COMBUSTION:

Excess Air = 50%

1 ft.3 of carbon dioxide

GAS PIPING (Sizing – CF/hr.) = Input BTU’s

Example: ___ 80,000 Input BTU’s____________

Example: _________ 80,000 Input BTU’s_________

(RC=Real Combustion) 36 ft.3 (RC) 15 ft.3 (RC)

ULTIMATE CO2 13.7% 11.8%

CALCULATING OIL NOZZLE SIZE (GPH):

_BTU Input___ = Nozzle Size (GPH)

_______ BTU Output___________

% Efficiency = energy output

SPECIFIC DENSITY OF AIR = 1 = .075 lbs./cu.ft.

RELATIVE HUMIDITY = Moisture present_

Example: _ 80,000 Input BTU’s__________

Example: _ 80,000 Input BTU’s_

_ BTU Output_____