Spaces and Zones without Partitions 2

[PS]

Dear Professionals,

I have struck up some where while working with Hourly Analysis Program in finding the COOLING LOAD for an Office.

Overview:
The system for the office is proposed to be a chilled water AHU (VFD driven fan in AHU) with VAV boxes. They need around 20 VAVs w/ thermostats in the system. All VAVs have only a dedicated modulating damper and controller linked to a thermostat. One particular thing I want to mention is there are NO PARTITION between the spaces (the bay areas of the office) in most of the cases. Only 5 rooms (spaces) like Conference Rooms, Meeting Rooms, Director's Cabin have partitions.

My approach:
I assumed 20 spaces and 20 zones. Then assigned single space to each zone. Each zone has only one space assigned to it. I struck up here while defining the spaces.

1. The spaces have NO PARTITIONS in between them, which means the SUPPLY AIR in adjacent the Zones/Spaces can mix. Is it fine just to skip the Walls and Partitions part (with the assumption they are connected to a same system)? Do i have to make any adjustments for that?

2. Since the temperatures maintained in the non-partitioned spaces (BAY AREAs) and the partitioned ones (Con ROOMS, Director's Cabin, etc..) are almost the same, is it again fine to skip the Walls the Partitions?

My understanding is: Walls represent only the surface that is exposed to sunlight and Partition is worth defining only when there is a considerable temperature difference between its sides.

Please do help me on this case.

Thanks in advance for the support.

 

[EnergyProfessional]

Sounds about right. Partition walls only matter if:
- you have temperature differences (you don't seem to)
- they add significant thermal mass (not likely with partitions anyway)

Yes air will mix and the only way to make it work is to have the same setpoint. Remember that when it actually gets built and commissioned and person a thinks they can have 70°F while person B thinks they should have 74°F.

 

[dbill74]

Yes you can skip the partition tab in HAP.
If you read the Help sections of HAP and their online eHelp, you will learn that the "Partitions" are for situations where the wall is adjactent to unoccupied/unconditioned space such as a garage or warehouse. For a wall beteen 2 offices where both sides are conditioned, then the heat transfer through the wall is so negligible as to be non-existent.

For the open office area, using multiple zones/spaces is useful in determining air flow distribution. Since exterior zones get solar loads, you will need more air flow in those areas. They often require heat as well, while interior zones need less heat or no heat at all.

 

[PS]

Thanks @EnergyProfessional; @dbill74