HVAC piping or heating ventilation and air-conditioning piping deliver hot water, cool water, refrigerant, condensate, steam, and gas to and from the HVAC components. HVAC systems provide thermal comfort for the occupants accompanied by indoor air quality. They are used in industrial, commercial, residential, and institutional buildings for different purposes like
- To add or remove heat from the air inside the building.
- Control the humidity.
- Filter the air in the building.
- Bring fresh air into the building.
So, for this process HVAC Piping systems use chilled water, hot water, condensate water, condensate drainage, refrigerant, steam, and gas to deliver from HVAC equipment using piping networks. Using HVAC piping in HVAC systems is highly efficient and affordable.
HVAC Piping Materials
The effectiveness of the piping gets influenced by the materials used to make it. Copper and steel are the two major types of metals used for HVAC piping. Copper is used mostly for smaller piping, transporting water in ac units with a maximum commercial size of about 12 “as the use of copper is very expensive than that of other materials available. So that the piping used in HVAC is 3 “and smaller.
Steel on the other hand is much cheaper and is used for large sizes. It can also withstand higher pressure than copper and is ideal for both hot and cold water. It usually allows for a range of temperatures and pressure. Sch 40 and Sch 80 pipes of the same are acceptable for several HVAC applications.
For chilled and heating water services 8” and above, ASTM A53 or A135 (light wall black steel pipe) are used.