Simple airflow measurement method for HVAC systems

A method for measuring a Heating, Ventilating, Air Conditioning (HVAC) system airflow for an HVAC system, the HVAC system having at least one airflow element selected from the group consisting of:

• an air register, a vent, a grill, a plenum, a duct, an economizer outdoor air damper, a condenser coil inlet, a condenser fan outlet, or a box temporarily attached to the HVAC system, wherein the box is configured to be in fluid communication with the HVAC system and reversibly engaged with the HVAC system, wherein the HVAC system airflow is entering or leaving the box or the at least one airflow element of the HVAC system, the method comprising:
• drilling a single hole in the at least one airflow element;
• inserting a hot-wire anemometer probe in the single hole;
• taking a far side airflow measurement at a far side location of the at least one airflow element, a depth centerline airflow measurement at a depth centerline location between the far side and a near side of the at least one airflow element, and a near side airflow measurement at a near side location of the at least one airflow element while the hot-wire anemometer is in the single hole;
• determining which side of a depth centerline of the at least one airflow element provides a higher airflow;
• performing additional airflow measurements while the hot-wire anemometer probe is in the single hole, wherein more than 50% of the additional airflow measurements are measured on the higher airflow side and less than 50% of the additional airflow measurements are measured on a lower airflow side;
• and
• calculating an average HVAC system airflow based on a sum of the additional airflow measurements divided by a total quantity of the additional airflow measurements.

A method for measuring a Heating, Ventilating, Air Conditioning (HVAC) system airflow, the HVAC system having at least one airflow element selected from the group consisting of:

• an air register, a vent, a grill, a plenum, a duct, an economizer outdoor air damper, a condenser coil inlet, or a condenser fan outlet, wherein a box is temporarily attached to the HVAC system and the box is configured to be in fluid communication with and reversibly engaged with the HVAC system and the HVAC system airflow is entering or leaving the box or the at least one airflow element of the HVAC system, the method comprising:
• inserting a hot-wire anemometer probe in a single hole, wherein the single hole is disposed within the box and is located on any side of the box, wherein the HVAC system airflow comprises one of:
• the HVAC system airflow across the box, wherein the box is in fluid communication with the at least one airflow element, and the box is configured to surround and be reversibly engaged with the at least one airflow element, such that the box overlaps with the at least one airflow element to capture HVAC system airflow through the at least one airflow element,
• an economizer outdoor airflow across the economizer outdoor air damper of the HVAC system or the box, wherein the box is configured to be in fluid communication with and reversibly engaged with the economizer outdoor air damper, and
• a condenser airflow across the condenser fan outlet or a condenser coil of the HVAC system or the box, wherein the box is configured to be in fluid communication with and reversibly engaged with the condenser fan outlet or the condenser coil inlet;
• and
• performing at least one action selected from the group consisting of:
• positioning the hot-wire anemometer probe at a near side location disposed between a near side and a depth centerline of the box and taking a near side airflow measurement with the hot-wire anemometer probe while the hot-wire anemometer probe is in the single hole,
• positioning the hot-wire anemometer probe at a centerline location disposed midway between the near side and a far side of the box and taking a centerline airflow measurement with the hot-wire anemometer probe while the hot-wire anemometer probe is in the single hole,
• positioning the hot-wire anemometer probe at a far side location disposed between the far side and the depth centerline of the box and taking a far side airflow measurement with the hot-wire anemometer probe while the hot-wire anemometer probe is in the single hole, and
• calculating an average HVAC system airflow based on the at least one airflow measurement.