Full Description

The deflection characteristics of spiral seam flat oval HVAC duct are examined in this study, and the effects of duct size, wall thickness, and the size, spacing, and type of external reinforcement on the duct deformation are investigated. A duct test setup and a deflection measurement frame were developed for measuring the deformation of flat oval duct, and experimental testing was performed on a variety of duct configurations to measure the duct deflections at various positive and negative internal pressures. Finite element computer models of the ducts were developed to predict the deflections. The correlation between the predictions of the computer model and the data from the experimental testing is highly variable with differences ranging from a few percent to several hundred percent. In general, it was found that there was closer agreement between the finite element results and the experimental measurements for smaller ducts and at locations of type 2 external reinforcements. This may be due to the fact that the finite element model assumed the idealized flat oval shape and this shape was better matched by smaller ducts and near the external reinforcement. It was also found that in some cases, unreinforced duct could achieve higher pressures than type 1 reinforced duct before exceeding the deflection limits. Sources of error include the uneven surface of the mastic in the measurement of the duct joint deflection and the variance of the actual duct shape from the idealized shape used in the finite element model. This study did not examine the variability of the experimental results due to differences in duct shape or manufacture.

Units: I-P

Citation: ASHRAE Transactions, 1998, Vol 104, pt. 1A, San Francisco