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References
Helical Vari-Smart Diffuser™
IAQ VAV
IAQ VAV
Helical Vari-Smart Diffuser™
IAQ VAV
IAQ VAV
SMARTEMP HSC-VS
Overview
Description
Innovation
Overview
WINNER: AIRAH 2022 Product of the Year
AIRAH 2022 Product of the Year WINNER introduces IAQ sensing and AHU optimisation to VAV ceiling swirl diffusers.
Features:
- Low Profile: 200 mm minimum side- or top-entry plenum box height
- Cyclone Swirl Damper: adjustable design capacity; low pressure loss; variable geometry; full shut-off
- Wide Pressure Range: 10 Pa to 80 Pa operating pressure
- Low Pressure Loss:10 Pa to 30 Pa typical design static pressure
- Multi-Max Flow: five-fold design flow air balancing from room (40 L/s to 220 L/s)
- Wide VAV Range: pressure-independent turndown to ≤15% from full five-fold design flow range
- Airflow Rate Limits: factory calibrated airflow with programmable design and minimum flow limits
- Low Flow Throw Boost: extended coverage when turned down
- Multi-Pattern Blow: horizontal swirl pattern adjustable from room (360°; 270°, 180°, 2×90°)
- Silent Swirl: bio-inspired aero-acoustic noise suppression
- Vari-Smart Controls™:
- Thermal-Demand VAV: inbuilt supply temperature- and static pressure-independent thermostatic control
- Demand Controlled Ventilation: CO2-based and/or PIR-based
- Excess Pressure Relief: diffuser minimum airflow reset
- Scalable Controls: smart standalone, suitable for comms connection to form a highly scalable distributed controls network with simple third-party BMS programming
- AHU Control: supply air temperature, pressure, fan speed and economiser optimisation
- Onboard Sensors:
- Supply & room air temperature
- Air pressure (diffuser flow & AHU/FCU fan speed)
- PIR (occupant detection) – optional
- IAQ (room CO2+RH or VOC) – optional
Controls Variants:
- Standalone: A single VS diffuser or master-slave group of VS diffusers (daisy-chain comms connected) each with intelligent Vari-Smart Controls™ providing thermal-demand VAV modulation (supply temperature- and static pressure-independent) and zone-level demand controlled ventilation (DCV); OR
- BMS-Network: 1. above; but with VS diffusers networked to BMS / System Controller (by others), providing highly scalable, intelligent, distributed, diffuser-plant-integrated Vari-Smart Controls™.
 | Location – above:
|
 | Mixed flow discharge:
|
 | Swirl induction: suitable for draught-free comfort (ADPI ≥ 90%) from cold-air distribution systems (CADS) with low-temperature supply air ≳8 °C, and for heating at ≤+10 K from 2.7 m height. |
 | Adjustable pattern: radial swirl pattern configurable through diffuser face (4/3/2-way blow). |
 | Constant throw VAV: variable geometry discharge provides extended coverage even when turned down to 15%. |
 | Vari-Smart™ (VS) VAV: Electronic VAV diffuser with inbuilt and intelligent Vari-Smart Controls™, which operates:
|
 | Electric adjustment: stepper motor VAV damper adjustment. |
 | Square face shape: lay-in tile, suitable for ceiling grids with 600 mm centres. |
 | Radial face pattern: flush face Helical Swirl (HSC) vane pattern that matches SMARTEMP Fixed Helical Swirl and Adjustable Helical Swirl diffusers. |
 | Metal face: powder coated galvanised steel. |
 | Plenum: Square, R1 insulated, rigid-foam, side-entry connection box (cushion head) c/w perforated distribution plate. |
 | Integrated sensors & Vari-Smart Controls™: Terminals for 24VDC power supply. Terminals suitable for optional comms (Modbus) daisy-chain or loop to BMS / System Controller (by others). Diffuser perforated cap, removable from room, houses controls hub with:
P or PI thermal-demand room temperature control, plus zone-level demand-controlled ventilation (DCV) sequences for optional PIR and/or CO2/VOC sensors. |
Options
 | Mounting frame: suitable for framing a square ceiling cut-out. Compatible with HSC-VS-S (ie square face) only. |
| Reduced square face: lay-in tile, suitable for ceiling grids with 500 mm centres. |
 | Circular face shape: 500 mm face diameter, suitable for vertical, round ducting or a cylindrical connection box. |
| Plenum options: low profile (≥200 mm); acoustic lining opposite spigot; up to R2 thermal insulation; top-entry or multiple side-entry spigots; metal casing; cylindrical shape. |
| Optional sensors & Vari-Smart Controls™ functions: Optional Integrated Sensors (plug-and-play from room):
Remote Options (wired or Bluetooth):
Controls functions:
|
SMARTEMP Helical Vari-Smart Diffuser™ HSC-VS
VARI-SWIRL® is a registered trade mark
Smarter Design / Smarter Engineering / SMARTAIR DIFFUSION™
Description
Introduction:
Also known as the Vari-Swirl™, the Helical Vari-Smart Diffuser™ (HSC-VS) is a Vari-Smart™ electronic variable air volume (VAV) ceiling swirl diffuser for space cooling and heating .
Vari-Smart (VS) diffusers incorporate key smarts onbaord: sensors for room air temperature, supply air temperature and supply air pressure; a motorised VAV damper assembly; optional PIR and IAQ (CO2+RH / VOC) sensors; and intelligent Vari-Smart Controls™ for thermostatic VAV modulation, demand controlled ventilation (DCV) and AHU optimisation.
Operation may be standalone (single or as a master-slave group) or BMS-networked (Modbus RS-485). For the latter, high zone granularity allows precise targeting of thermal capacity and fresh air supply, following shifting loads as integrated sensors for VOC or CO2+RH, room air temperature and PIR determine both the degree and location of thermal and indoor air quality (IAQ) diversity.
Uniquely, VS diffusers have integrated hardware and Vari-Smart Controls™ to operate as independent thermal and IAQ zones, and to dynamically optimise AHU performance. Decentralised – and hence highly scalable – diffuser-plant-integrated Vari-Smart Controls optimise supply air temperature, pressure, fan speed and economiser operation for energy efficiency, indoor air quality and comfort.
Further energy savings are achieved through pressure-independent VAV turndown to less than 15% and from full VAV shut-off.
Advantages: Flexibility to load range and location is increased; IAQ and thermal capacity are targeted; thermal comfort and IAQ are enhanced; plant size and outdoor airflow are reduced; and AHU optimisation and energy savings are achieved. Crucially, Vari-Smart™ systems adapt and optimise operation not only as loads shift, but also as tenancies and the climate change, future-proofing design.
Vari-Smart Controls™:
Vari-Smart Controls, integrated into each VS diffuser, provide thermostatic control that responds to thermal-demand (not just temperature) to achieve both supply temperature- and pressure-independent VAV capacity modulation, decoupling room temperature control from supply air temperature and pressure shocks. They operate standalone (single or as a master-slave group) or BMS-networked via Modbus RS-485.
Bio-inspired by the nine brains of the octopus, the patent-pending intelligent Vari-Smart Controls reside in each VS diffuser micro-controller, which, when Modbus-networked to the BMS (no additional central controls required), create distributed components with considerable functional autonomy, in particular of HVAC plant optimisation strategies. Advanced functionality, installation and commissioning simplicity, exceptional scalability, and good networking flexibility are achieved, along with open protocol interoperability and the safety of ongoing VAV airflow control in the event of comms network failure.
Designed for building automation, minimal third party BMS programming is required – with no additional central controls needed – to integrate AHU/FCU operation and realise high performance Vari-Smart Controls system optimisation, including:
- AHU/FCU dynamic supply air temperature or cooling/heating reset
- AHU/FCU dynamic fan speed reset
- supply air static pressure optimisation (targeting at least one VS diffuser VAV damper fully open)
- supply air temperature optimisation (targeting minimum fan energy usage)
- over-pressure relief
- riser/zone pressure damper operation
- trim heater operation
- economiser extended free-cooling optimisation, and
- CO2– and/or PIR-based zone- and/or system-level demand controlled ventilation (DCV)
The decentralised architecture of Vari-Smart Controls is highly adaptable and suitable for addition and attrition, making VS diffusers well suited to both small and large applications, as well as providing resilience to comms network failure, and flexibility for tenancy fit-out changes.
Onboard Features:
In addition to Troom, Tsupply, and Pstatic sensors built into the Helical Vari-Smart Diffuser as standard, allowing precise airflow rate and individual thermostatic temperature control to be achieved, IAQ sensors (CO2+RH or VOC) and a PIR sensor (occupant detection) may be plugged into the diffuser hub to enhance indoor air quality and tighten temperature control, when needed. No wall-mounted thermostat or remote sensors are required, as forced induction from a powerful, inbuilt induction system actively draws a strong flow of room air into the controls hub, ensuring accurate room air sensing.
The Helical Vari-Smart Diffuser is the industry’s only VAV diffuser with five-fold scalable design capacity, and with high-capacity delivery from a low-pressure, low-profile, side-entry design (top-entry is optional). These features are due to its unique and compact, patent-pending cyclone swirl damper, which boasts a design flow rate range – adjustable through the face – of 40 L/s to 220 L/s, with pressure-independent turndown to ≤15% from any design flow within that range. The horizontally projecting “radial” discharge pattern, too, is adjustable through the face (360°, 270°, 180° or 2×90°).
The Helical Vari-Smart Diffuser may truly be varied in almost every way, making it the most adaptable VAV diffuser on the market, perfect for both base-building design and changing fit-out applications.
Energy Savings & IEQ:
Each Helical Vari-Smart Diffuser may act as both an independent variable air volume (VAV) thermal zone, and an independent air quality zone. This enhances the indoor environmental quality (IEQ) of a building and improves energy efficiency by providing many small zones of individual control that respond to thermal and air quality diversity. Design for diversity allows plant size to be reduced and energy savings to be achieved.
Silent cyclone swirl VAV damper technology and integrated sensors for room temperature, occupant detection (PIR) and IAQ (CO2+RH or VOC), plus individual temperature setpoint adjustment and thermal-demand VAV controls with demand controlled ventilation (DCV) and air-flush sequences, provide quiet, personalised, precise and refreshing temperature control. Energy efficiency, premium thermal comfort and enhanced indoor air quality are realised, when required, whilst ensuring further energy savings are achieved by relaxing conditions when unoccupied.
Scalable Design Flow & Wide VAV Range:
The Helical Vari-Smart Diffuser is available in one nominal neck size only, which delivers a high maximum volume flow capacity at low noise and a low pressure loss. Smaller sizes are not required due to the novel cyclone swirl damper system that provides both a five-fold design flow range (40 L/s to 220 L/s) – adjustable through the face in lieu of conventional air balancing – and pressure-independent turndown to ≤15% from any design airflow rate within that range. Superior ease of conversion from base-building design to tenancy fit-out is achieved, with exceptional on-going flexibility to adapt to change of use.
Cyclone Swirl Damper:
The Helical Vari-Smart Diffuser features a patent-pending multi-door cyclone swirl damper that provides low-to-high volume flow capacity, low pressure loss, and full shut-off. Low Flow Throw Boost extends throw when turned down, and damper doors may be individually locked shut, via Allen key access through the diffuser face, to achieve Multi-Max Flow sizing and air balancing, and Multi-Pattern Blow flexibility.
Low Flow Throw Boost:
Helical Vari-Smart Diffusers are suitable for low supply air temperature systems (cold-air distribution) with a wide VAV range of operation. During turndown, elevated discharge velocities are achieved by variable geometry cyclone swirl damper aperture throttling in close proximity to the discharge face. When turned down, face velocities are maintained to prevent dumping and throw coverage is enhanced. This ensures air movement and high air change effectiveness (ACE) in the space. Premium comfort, with an ADPI ≥ 90%, is realised even when airflow is throttled to 15% at a specific airflow rate of just 0.4 or 0.5 L/s/m2 and ΔT ≈ ‑10 or -15 K, respectively.
Low Flow Throw Boost also benefits heating, which is permitted at up to +10 K from 2.7 m height.
Multi-Max Flow:
“Through-the-face” cyclone swirl damper effective area (not aperture) adjustment – across a 100% to 20% range – allows simple on-site damper size adjustment to suit actula operating pressure and the required diffuser design flow. (This is in lieu of sizing each diffuser during design, and on-site air balancing via a eaprate balancing damper.) Design and minimum flow rate settings may then be set to achieve pressure-independent turndown to 15% for any design flow between 40 L/s and 220 L/s. This allows a single diffuser variant to suit widely varying design flow rates, each with a wide turndown range, if required, whilst realising a uniform architectural aesthetic, simplified co-ordination, and exceptional adaptability to tenancy fit-out changes.
Multi-Pattern Blow:
The horizontally projecting “radial” swirl pattern of the Helical Vari-Smart Diffuser may be set through the diffuser face to 360°, 270°, 180° or 2×90° (ie 4-way blow, 3-way blow or 2-way blow) to suit unique space architecture or provide adaptability to fit-out changes.
Silent Swirl:
Helical Vari-Smart Diffuser vanes and cyclone swirl damper doors have bio-inspired “barbed and barnacle blades” that provide aero-acoustic noise suppression for quiet operation, even at 80 Pa static pressure, permitting use in non-static regain – such as equal-friction – duct design systems.
Low Profile Height:
A shallow (200 mm minimum) side- or top-entry supply plenum box, complete with perforated distribution plate, and optionally with multiple spigots and/or acoustic matting, facilitates co-ordination of the Helical Vari-Smart diffuser within tight or low-height ceiling void spaces. Airflow into the cyclone swirl damper is largely unrestricted, allowing high capacities to be achieved at a low pressure loss.
Integrated Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) & Motion Sensing:
A combined zone carbon dioxide and humidity sensor (CO2+RH) or a volatile organic compound sensor (VOC), plus a passive infrared (PIR) motion sensor to determine if the zone is occupied, are options that may be plugged into the hub of the Helical Vari-Smart Diffuser. These allow modulation of minimum diffuser airflow and/or AHU minimum outdoor airflow for zone- and/or system-level demand-controlled ventilation (DCV), or automated adjustment of diffuser airflow for dedicated outdoor air systems (DOAS).
Accessible Electronics:
The stepper motor, Bluetooth-enabled PC board, and all integrated sensors (supply air static pressure; supply air temperature; room air temperature; PIR; CO2+RH or VOC) are removable through the face of the Helical Vari-Smart Diffuser, providing ease of maintenance and plug-and-play upgrades.
Optional Remote HMI:
Individual setpoint adjustment (typically within a preset range) of an optional human-machine interface (HMI), wired or Bluetooth connected to the Helical Vari-Smart Diffuser (VS Master Diffusers only – refer to below), enhances thermal comfort through personal control.
The HMI may, optionally, provide quick commissioning access to the diffuser, and may comprise a wall-mounted touchscreen thermostat with PM2.5, RH, CO2, VOC and/or PIR sensors.
Two Controls Variants:
- Standalone:
- Standalone Single: a single VS diffuser that is not comms connected to other VS diffusers or devices is automatically designated as a VS Master Diffuser.
- Standalone Group: a group of VS diffusers, comprising a designated VS Master Diffuser, with remaining diffusers designated as VS Slave Diffusers, interconnected by a Modbus RS-485 comms daisy-chain to operate as a standalone group of VS diffusers in which the VS Slave Diffusers laregly mimic the commands of the VS Master Diffuser. The Standalone Group may not be networked to any other VS diffusers or devices.
Each Helical Vari-Smart Diffuser includes:
- Terminals for 24V power supply
- Terminals suitable for comms daisy-chain or loop
- Room air induction system, plus perforated cap with controls hub removable from the room, housing:
- Standard Integrated Sensors: room air temperature, supply air temperature, supply air static pressure
- PC board, Bluetooth enabled.
- Stepper Motor
- Optional Integrated Sensors (zone CO2+RH or VOC; PIR)
- PC board controls:
- Adjustable setpoints: room air temperature; design airflow rate; minimum airflow rate
- P or PI zone temperature control with thermal-demand VAV modulation provides supply temperature- and static pressure-independent zone temperature control
- Zone-level DCV and DOA sequences suitable for optional PIR and/or CO2/VOC sensors
- Suitable for implementation of diffuser-plant-integrated controls (refer to 2. BMS-Networked, below)
- Optional HMI:
- Wired or Bluetooth connected to a Master VS Diffuser
- Wall-mounted adjustable thermostat with Troom sensor
- Diffuser specific temperature setpoint adjustment
- Optional touchscreen
- Optional sensors: PM2.5; RH; CO2; VOC; PIR
- Optional quick access for commissioning
- BMS-Network:
As for 1. above; but with VS diffusers connected by a Modbus RS-485 comms daisy-chain network to a BMS / System Controller (by others).
Distributed Vari-Smart Controls, when BMS-networked, make intelligent building and central plant decisions based on information available from every VS diffuser to optimise HVAC plant control for energy efficiency, indoor air quality and confort. Additionally, building conditions – both globally and locally – can be controlled and modified centrally from the BMS.
VS Diffusers:
- Multiple VS Master Diffusers permitted
- VS Slave Diffusers may be assigned to any VS Master Diffuser
BMS / System Controller:
General:
- Supplied and programmed by others
- Has visibility of all sensors
- Global setpoints (room temperature; CO2; RH thresholds)
- AHU/FCU cooling/heating changeover (weighted by thermal zone priority)
VS Diffuser Management:
- Local setpoints (room temperature; CO2; RH thresholds)
- Minimum airflow rate per VS diffuser
- Design airflow rate per VS diffuser
- Damper position override per VS diffuser
- Master/Slave diffuser assignment
- Thermal zone prioritsation: premium; high (default); medium; low
Distributed Controls – advanced functions
- AHU/FCU dynamic supply temperature setpoint control
- AHU/FCU dynamic supply pressure / fan speed control (modulating or stepped).
- Supply air pressure optimisation (targets at least one VS diffuser VAV damper fully open).
- Supply air temperature optimisation (targets minimising fan energy).
- Supply air pressure relief via minimum VAV damper position adjustment
- Economiser optimisation: allows supply air temperature to largely float in a broad, dynamic dead band to maximise free-cooling potential
- Optimum RH band: dehumidification intensification/minimisation by supply air temperature dynamic reset (cooling & economiser modes only)
- Over-cooling/heating mitigation: supply air temperature dynamic reset to minimise zone over-cooling/heating
- Zone-level demand-controlled ventilation (DCV) sequences (PIR- and/or CO2-based)
- Room temperature dead band relaxation when unoccupied (PIR-based)
- Air-flush – rapid contaminant purging upon not-occupied status activation (PIR-based)
Safeties:
- Rogue zone identification
- Ignored zones (rogue- and/or percentile-based) are removed from supply air temperature and pressure resets
- Temporary fan speed reset for reduced supply air pressure during motorisation of diffusers exposed to excessive static pressure
- Sensor failure – automated sensor failure detection and response
SMARTEMP Helical Vari-Smart Diffuser™ HSC-VS
VARI-SWIRL® is a registered trade mark
Smarter Design / Smarter Engineering / SMARTAIR DIFFUSION™
Innovation
Patents Pending
1. Cyclone Swirl Damper:
- Integrated IAQ
- Silent Swirl
- Low Flow Throw Boost
- Multi-Max Flow
- Multi-Pattern Blow
2. Thermal-Demand Control:
- VAV damper thermal-demand control, independent of supply air pressure and supply air temperature variations.
- AHU constant thermal-demand supply air temperature and airflow dynamic reset to:
- optimise duct pressure by targeting at least one VAV damper fully open
- optimise supply air temperature by offsetting available static pressure
- mitigate zone over-cooling/heating
- boost IAQ ventilation
- enhance/diminish dehumidification (cooling & economiser modes only)
- Economiser mode supply air temperature float function to maximise free-cooling potential.
SMARTEMP Helical Vari-Smart Diffuser™ HSC-VS
VARI-SWIRL® is a registered trade mark
Smarter Design / Smarter Engineering / SMARTAIR DIFFUSION™
Home / Products /
Helical Vari-Smart Diffuser™
IAQ VAV
IAQ VAV
Helical Vari-Smart Diffuser™
IAQ VAV
IAQ VAV
SMARTEMP HSC-VS
Overview
Description
Innovation
Overview
WINNER: AIRAH 2022 Product of the Year
AIRAH 2022 Product of the Year WINNER introduces IAQ sensing and AHU optimisation to VAV ceiling swirl diffusers.
Features:
- Low Profile: 200 mm minimum side- or top-entry plenum box height
- Cyclone Swirl Damper: adjustable design capacity; low pressure loss; variable geometry; full shut-off
- Wide Pressure Range: 10 Pa to 80 Pa operating pressure
- Low Pressure Loss:10 Pa to 30 Pa typical design static pressure
- Multi-Max Flow: five-fold design flow air balancing from room (40 L/s to 220 L/s)
- Wide VAV Range: pressure-independent turndown to ≤15% from full five-fold design flow range
- Airflow Rate Limits: factory calibrated airflow with programmable design and minimum flow limits
- Low Flow Throw Boost: extended coverage when turned down
- Multi-Pattern Blow: horizontal swirl pattern adjustable from room (360°; 270°, 180°, 2×90°)
- Silent Swirl: bio-inspired aero-acoustic noise suppression
- Vari-Smart Controls™:
- Thermal-Demand VAV: inbuilt supply temperature- and static pressure-independent thermostatic control
- Demand Controlled Ventilation: CO2-based and/or PIR-based
- Excess Pressure Relief: diffuser minimum airflow reset
- Scalable Controls: smart standalone, suitable for comms connection to form a highly scalable distributed controls network with simple third-party BMS programming
- AHU Control: supply air temperature, pressure, fan speed and economiser optimisation
- Onboard Sensors:
- Supply & room air temperature
- Air pressure (diffuser flow & AHU/FCU fan speed)
- PIR (occupant detection) – optional
- IAQ (room CO2+RH or VOC) – optional
Controls Variants:
- Standalone: A single VS diffuser or master-slave group of VS diffusers (daisy-chain comms connected) each with intelligent Vari-Smart Controls™ providing thermal-demand VAV modulation (supply temperature- and static pressure-independent) and zone-level demand controlled ventilation (DCV); OR
- BMS-Network: 1. above; but with VS diffusers networked to BMS / System Controller (by others), providing highly scalable, intelligent, distributed, diffuser-plant-integrated Vari-Smart Controls™.
| Location – above:
|
| Mixed flow discharge:
|
| Swirl induction: suitable for draught-free comfort (ADPI ≥ 90%) from cold-air distribution systems (CADS) with low-temperature supply air ≳8 °C, and for heating at ≤+10 K from 2.7 m height. |
| Adjustable pattern: radial swirl pattern configurable through diffuser face (4/3/2-way blow). |
| Constant throw VAV: variable geometry discharge provides extended coverage even when turned down to 15%. |
| Vari-Smart™ (VS) VAV: Electronic VAV diffuser with inbuilt and intelligent Vari-Smart Controls™, which operates:
|
| Electric adjustment: stepper motor VAV damper adjustment. |
| Square face shape: lay-in tile, suitable for ceiling grids with 600 mm centres. |
| Radial face pattern: flush face Helical Swirl (HSC) vane pattern that matches SMARTEMP Fixed Helical Swirl and Adjustable Helical Swirl diffusers. |
| Metal face: powder coated galvanised steel. |
| Plenum: Square, R1 insulated, rigid-foam, side-entry connection box (cushion head) c/w perforated distribution plate. |
| Integrated sensors & Vari-Smart Controls™: Terminals for 24VDC power supply. Terminals suitable for optional comms (Modbus) daisy-chain or loop to BMS / System Controller (by others). Diffuser perforated cap, removable from room, houses controls hub with:
P or PI thermal-demand room temperature control, plus zone-level demand-controlled ventilation (DCV) sequences for optional PIR and/or CO2/VOC sensors. |
Options
| Mounting frame: suitable for framing a square ceiling cut-out. Compatible with HSC-VS-S (ie square face) only. |
| Reduced square face: lay-in tile, suitable for ceiling grids with 500 mm centres. |
| Circular face shape: 500 mm face diameter, suitable for vertical, round ducting or a cylindrical connection box. |
| Plenum options: low profile (≥200 mm); acoustic lining opposite spigot; up to R2 thermal insulation; top-entry or multiple side-entry spigots; metal casing; cylindrical shape. |
| Optional sensors & Vari-Smart Controls™ functions: Optional Integrated Sensors (plug-and-play from room):
Remote Options (wired or Bluetooth):
Controls functions:
|
SMARTEMP Helical Vari-Smart Diffuser™ HSC-VS
VARI-SWIRL® is a registered trade mark
Smarter Design / Smarter Engineering / SMARTAIR DIFFUSION™
Description
Introduction:
Also known as the Vari-Swirl™, the Helical Vari-Smart Diffuser™ (HSC-VS) is a Vari-Smart™ electronic variable air volume (VAV) ceiling swirl diffuser for space cooling and heating .
Vari-Smart (VS) diffusers incorporate key smarts onbaord: sensors for room air temperature, supply air temperature and supply air pressure; a motorised VAV damper assembly; optional PIR and IAQ (CO2+RH / VOC) sensors; and intelligent Vari-Smart Controls™ for thermostatic VAV modulation, demand controlled ventilation (DCV) and AHU optimisation.
Operation may be standalone (single or as a master-slave group) or BMS-networked (Modbus RS-485). For the latter, high zone granularity allows precise targeting of thermal capacity and fresh air supply, following shifting loads as integrated sensors for VOC or CO2+RH, room air temperature and PIR determine both the degree and location of thermal and indoor air quality (IAQ) diversity.
Uniquely, VS diffusers have integrated hardware and Vari-Smart Controls™ to operate as independent thermal and IAQ zones, and to dynamically optimise AHU performance. Decentralised – and hence highly scalable – diffuser-plant-integrated Vari-Smart Controls optimise supply air temperature, pressure, fan speed and economiser operation for energy efficiency, indoor air quality and comfort.
Further energy savings are achieved through pressure-independent VAV turndown to less than 15% and from full VAV shut-off.
Advantages: Flexibility to load range and location is increased; IAQ and thermal capacity are targeted; thermal comfort and IAQ are enhanced; plant size and outdoor airflow are reduced; and AHU optimisation and energy savings are achieved. Crucially, Vari-Smart™ systems adapt and optimise operation not only as loads shift, but also as tenancies and the climate change, future-proofing design.
Vari-Smart Controls™:
Vari-Smart Controls, integrated into each VS diffuser, provide thermostatic control that responds to thermal-demand (not just temperature) to achieve both supply temperature- and pressure-independent VAV capacity modulation, decoupling room temperature control from supply air temperature and pressure shocks. They operate standalone (single or as a master-slave group) or BMS-networked via Modbus RS-485.
Bio-inspired by the nine brains of the octopus, the patent-pending intelligent Vari-Smart Controls reside in each VS diffuser micro-controller, which, when Modbus-networked to the BMS (no additional central controls required), create distributed components with considerable functional autonomy, in particular of HVAC plant optimisation strategies. Advanced functionality, installation and commissioning simplicity, exceptional scalability, and good networking flexibility are achieved, along with open protocol interoperability and the safety of ongoing VAV airflow control in the event of comms network failure.
Designed for building automation, minimal third party BMS programming is required – with no additional central controls needed – to integrate AHU/FCU operation and realise high performance Vari-Smart Controls system optimisation, including:
- AHU/FCU dynamic supply air temperature or cooling/heating reset
- AHU/FCU dynamic fan speed reset
- supply air static pressure optimisation (targeting at least one VS diffuser VAV damper fully open)
- supply air temperature optimisation (targeting minimum fan energy usage)
- over-pressure relief
- riser/zone pressure damper operation
- trim heater operation
- economiser extended free-cooling optimisation, and
- CO2– and/or PIR-based zone- and/or system-level demand controlled ventilation (DCV)
The decentralised architecture of Vari-Smart Controls is highly adaptable and suitable for addition and attrition, making VS diffusers well suited to both small and large applications, as well as providing resilience to comms network failure, and flexibility for tenancy fit-out changes.
Onboard Features:
In addition to Troom, Tsupply, and Pstatic sensors built into the Helical Vari-Smart Diffuser as standard, allowing precise airflow rate and individual thermostatic temperature control to be achieved, IAQ sensors (CO2+RH or VOC) and a PIR sensor (occupant detection) may be plugged into the diffuser hub to enhance indoor air quality and tighten temperature control, when needed. No wall-mounted thermostat or remote sensors are required, as forced induction from a powerful, inbuilt induction system actively draws a strong flow of room air into the controls hub, ensuring accurate room air sensing.
The Helical Vari-Smart Diffuser is the industry’s only VAV diffuser with five-fold scalable design capacity, and with high-capacity delivery from a low-pressure, low-profile, side-entry design (top-entry is optional). These features are due to its unique and compact, patent-pending cyclone swirl damper, which boasts a design flow rate range – adjustable through the face – of 40 L/s to 220 L/s, with pressure-independent turndown to ≤15% from any design flow within that range. The horizontally projecting “radial” discharge pattern, too, is adjustable through the face (360°, 270°, 180° or 2×90°).
The Helical Vari-Smart Diffuser may truly be varied in almost every way, making it the most adaptable VAV diffuser on the market, perfect for both base-building design and changing fit-out applications.
Energy Savings & IEQ:
Each Helical Vari-Smart Diffuser may act as both an independent variable air volume (VAV) thermal zone, and an independent air quality zone. This enhances the indoor environmental quality (IEQ) of a building and improves energy efficiency by providing many small zones of individual control that respond to thermal and air quality diversity. Design for diversity allows plant size to be reduced and energy savings to be achieved.
Silent cyclone swirl VAV damper technology and integrated sensors for room temperature, occupant detection (PIR) and IAQ (CO2+RH or VOC), plus individual temperature setpoint adjustment and thermal-demand VAV controls with demand controlled ventilation (DCV) and air-flush sequences, provide quiet, personalised, precise and refreshing temperature control. Energy efficiency, premium thermal comfort and enhanced indoor air quality are realised, when required, whilst ensuring further energy savings are achieved by relaxing conditions when unoccupied.
Scalable Design Flow & Wide VAV Range:
The Helical Vari-Smart Diffuser is available in one nominal neck size only, which delivers a high maximum volume flow capacity at low noise and a low pressure loss. Smaller sizes are not required due to the novel cyclone swirl damper system that provides both a five-fold design flow range (40 L/s to 220 L/s) – adjustable through the face in lieu of conventional air balancing – and pressure-independent turndown to ≤15% from any design airflow rate within that range. Superior ease of conversion from base-building design to tenancy fit-out is achieved, with exceptional on-going flexibility to adapt to change of use.
Cyclone Swirl Damper:
The Helical Vari-Smart Diffuser features a patent-pending multi-door cyclone swirl damper that provides low-to-high volume flow capacity, low pressure loss, and full shut-off. Low Flow Throw Boost extends throw when turned down, and damper doors may be individually locked shut, via Allen key access through the diffuser face, to achieve Multi-Max Flow sizing and air balancing, and Multi-Pattern Blow flexibility.
Low Flow Throw Boost:
Helical Vari-Smart Diffusers are suitable for low supply air temperature systems (cold-air distribution) with a wide VAV range of operation. During turndown, elevated discharge velocities are achieved by variable geometry cyclone swirl damper aperture throttling in close proximity to the discharge face. When turned down, face velocities are maintained to prevent dumping and throw coverage is enhanced. This ensures air movement and high air change effectiveness (ACE) in the space. Premium comfort, with an ADPI ≥ 90%, is realised even when airflow is throttled to 15% at a specific airflow rate of just 0.4 or 0.5 L/s/m2 and ΔT ≈ ‑10 or -15 K, respectively.
Low Flow Throw Boost also benefits heating, which is permitted at up to +10 K from 2.7 m height.
Multi-Max Flow:
“Through-the-face” cyclone swirl damper effective area (not aperture) adjustment – across a 100% to 20% range – allows simple on-site damper size adjustment to suit actula operating pressure and the required diffuser design flow. (This is in lieu of sizing each diffuser during design, and on-site air balancing via a eaprate balancing damper.) Design and minimum flow rate settings may then be set to achieve pressure-independent turndown to 15% for any design flow between 40 L/s and 220 L/s. This allows a single diffuser variant to suit widely varying design flow rates, each with a wide turndown range, if required, whilst realising a uniform architectural aesthetic, simplified co-ordination, and exceptional adaptability to tenancy fit-out changes.
Multi-Pattern Blow:
The horizontally projecting “radial” swirl pattern of the Helical Vari-Smart Diffuser may be set through the diffuser face to 360°, 270°, 180° or 2×90° (ie 4-way blow, 3-way blow or 2-way blow) to suit unique space architecture or provide adaptability to fit-out changes.
Silent Swirl:
Helical Vari-Smart Diffuser vanes and cyclone swirl damper doors have bio-inspired “barbed and barnacle blades” that provide aero-acoustic noise suppression for quiet operation, even at 80 Pa static pressure, permitting use in non-static regain – such as equal-friction – duct design systems.
Low Profile Height:
A shallow (200 mm minimum) side- or top-entry supply plenum box, complete with perforated distribution plate, and optionally with multiple spigots and/or acoustic matting, facilitates co-ordination of the Helical Vari-Smart diffuser within tight or low-height ceiling void spaces. Airflow into the cyclone swirl damper is largely unrestricted, allowing high capacities to be achieved at a low pressure loss.
Integrated Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) & Motion Sensing:
A combined zone carbon dioxide and humidity sensor (CO2+RH) or a volatile organic compound sensor (VOC), plus a passive infrared (PIR) motion sensor to determine if the zone is occupied, are options that may be plugged into the hub of the Helical Vari-Smart Diffuser. These allow modulation of minimum diffuser airflow and/or AHU minimum outdoor airflow for zone- and/or system-level demand-controlled ventilation (DCV), or automated adjustment of diffuser airflow for dedicated outdoor air systems (DOAS).
Accessible Electronics:
The stepper motor, Bluetooth-enabled PC board, and all integrated sensors (supply air static pressure; supply air temperature; room air temperature; PIR; CO2+RH or VOC) are removable through the face of the Helical Vari-Smart Diffuser, providing ease of maintenance and plug-and-play upgrades.
Optional Remote HMI:
Individual setpoint adjustment (typically within a preset range) of an optional human-machine interface (HMI), wired or Bluetooth connected to the Helical Vari-Smart Diffuser (VS Master Diffusers only – refer to below), enhances thermal comfort through personal control.
The HMI may, optionally, provide quick commissioning access to the diffuser, and may comprise a wall-mounted touchscreen thermostat with PM2.5, RH, CO2, VOC and/or PIR sensors.
Two Controls Variants:
- Standalone:
- Standalone Single: a single VS diffuser that is not comms connected to other VS diffusers or devices is automatically designated as a VS Master Diffuser.
- Standalone Group: a group of VS diffusers, comprising a designated VS Master Diffuser, with remaining diffusers designated as VS Slave Diffusers, interconnected by a Modbus RS-485 comms daisy-chain to operate as a standalone group of VS diffusers in which the VS Slave Diffusers laregly mimic the commands of the VS Master Diffuser. The Standalone Group may not be networked to any other VS diffusers or devices.
Each Helical Vari-Smart Diffuser includes:
- Terminals for 24V power supply
- Terminals suitable for comms daisy-chain or loop
- Room air induction system, plus perforated cap with controls hub removable from the room, housing:
- Standard Integrated Sensors: room air temperature, supply air temperature, supply air static pressure
- PC board, Bluetooth enabled.
- Stepper Motor
- Optional Integrated Sensors (zone CO2+RH or VOC; PIR)
- PC board controls:
- Adjustable setpoints: room air temperature; design airflow rate; minimum airflow rate
- P or PI zone temperature control with thermal-demand VAV modulation provides supply temperature- and static pressure-independent zone temperature control
- Zone-level DCV and DOA sequences suitable for optional PIR and/or CO2/VOC sensors
- Suitable for implementation of diffuser-plant-integrated controls (refer to 2. BMS-Networked, below)
- Optional HMI:
- Wired or Bluetooth connected to a Master VS Diffuser
- Wall-mounted adjustable thermostat with Troom sensor
- Diffuser specific temperature setpoint adjustment
- Optional touchscreen
- Optional sensors: PM2.5; RH; CO2; VOC; PIR
- Optional quick access for commissioning
- BMS-Network:
As for 1. above; but with VS diffusers connected by a Modbus RS-485 comms daisy-chain network to a BMS / System Controller (by others).
Distributed Vari-Smart Controls, when BMS-networked, make intelligent building and central plant decisions based on information available from every VS diffuser to optimise HVAC plant control for energy efficiency, indoor air quality and confort. Additionally, building conditions – both globally and locally – can be controlled and modified centrally from the BMS.
VS Diffusers:
- Multiple VS Master Diffusers permitted
- VS Slave Diffusers may be assigned to any VS Master Diffuser
BMS / System Controller:
General:
- Supplied and programmed by others
- Has visibility of all sensors
- Global setpoints (room temperature; CO2; RH thresholds)
- AHU/FCU cooling/heating changeover (weighted by thermal zone priority)
VS Diffuser Management:
- Local setpoints (room temperature; CO2; RH thresholds)
- Minimum airflow rate per VS diffuser
- Design airflow rate per VS diffuser
- Damper position override per VS diffuser
- Master/Slave diffuser assignment
- Thermal zone prioritsation: premium; high (default); medium; low
Distributed Controls – advanced functions
- AHU/FCU dynamic supply temperature setpoint control
- AHU/FCU dynamic supply pressure / fan speed control (modulating or stepped).
- Supply air pressure optimisation (targets at least one VS diffuser VAV damper fully open).
- Supply air temperature optimisation (targets minimising fan energy).
- Supply air pressure relief via minimum VAV damper position adjustment
- Economiser optimisation: allows supply air temperature to largely float in a broad, dynamic dead band to maximise free-cooling potential
- Optimum RH band: dehumidification intensification/minimisation by supply air temperature dynamic reset (cooling & economiser modes only)
- Over-cooling/heating mitigation: supply air temperature dynamic reset to minimise zone over-cooling/heating
- Zone-level demand-controlled ventilation (DCV) sequences (PIR- and/or CO2-based)
- Room temperature dead band relaxation when unoccupied (PIR-based)
- Air-flush – rapid contaminant purging upon not-occupied status activation (PIR-based)
Safeties:
- Rogue zone identification
- Ignored zones (rogue- and/or percentile-based) are removed from supply air temperature and pressure resets
- Temporary fan speed reset for reduced supply air pressure during motorisation of diffusers exposed to excessive static pressure
- Sensor failure – automated sensor failure detection and response
SMARTEMP Helical Vari-Smart Diffuser™ HSC-VS
VARI-SWIRL® is a registered trade mark
Smarter Design / Smarter Engineering / SMARTAIR DIFFUSION™
Innovation
Patents Pending
1. Cyclone Swirl Damper:
- Integrated IAQ
- Silent Swirl
- Low Flow Throw Boost
- Multi-Max Flow
- Multi-Pattern Blow
2. Thermal-Demand Control:
- VAV damper thermal-demand control, independent of supply air pressure and supply air temperature variations.
- AHU constant thermal-demand supply air temperature and airflow dynamic reset to:
- optimise duct pressure by targeting at least one VAV damper fully open
- optimise supply air temperature by offsetting available static pressure
- mitigate zone over-cooling/heating
- boost IAQ ventilation
- enhance/diminish dehumidification (cooling & economiser modes only)
- Economiser mode supply air temperature float function to maximise free-cooling potential.
SMARTEMP Helical Vari-Smart Diffuser™ HSC-VS
VARI-SWIRL® is a registered trade mark
Smarter Design / Smarter Engineering / SMARTAIR DIFFUSION™
Resources
Product-Leaflet-SMARTEMP-HSC-VS.pdf[ uploaded: 2023-03-21 ]
Performance-Leaflet-SMARTEMP-HSC-VS.pdf[ uploaded: 2023-03-27 ]
