Natural Ventilation & HVAC

Technical Safety Design Manual

1. General
HVAC (heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning) system is a system to control the temperature, humidity, air movement, and air quality (cleanness) inside a building or room. Air conditioning by HVAC is required in buildings and hence the temperature, relative humidity and air quality in that building could be maintained within the defined limits to ensure reliable operation of electronic equipment and enhancing human working conditions. Specialized manufacturers are generally the supplier of the HVAC system which were available as package units or as single components. HVAC is classified in four (4) types based on the fluid media used in the thermal distribution system: All Air systems (significant ducting) Air-Water systems (moderate ducting) All Water systems (ductless systems) Unitary refrigerant based systems (usually for smaller applications) The air-water HVAC system is normally used for offshore installation due to the positive pressurization achievable under all conditions and minimal space requirements. The airwater HVAC system consists of the following part:

Air Handling Unit (AHU) that conditions air to meet the required temperature and humidity and supplies it to all spaces in a building or room Ducting with fire dampers

Air Cooled Conditioning Unit (ACCU) that recondition the incoming air to the specific and humidity needs of the room. Pressurisation unit that consist of fans The simplified arrangement of HVAC system is shown below.

Figure 1: Simplified HVAC Schematic

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Sufficient space in plant buildings is ensured for HVAC equipment and its ducting installations. HVAC is important in the design of medium to large industrial and office buildings such as skyscrapers and in marine environments such as aquariums, where safe and healthy building conditions are regulated with respect to temperature and humidity, using fresh air from outdoors. HVAC system is one of Safety Critical Element. This system is required to prevent flammable gas and smoke ingress from the hazardous area into the non-hazardous areas during emergency condition and to maintain a comfortable Temporary Refuge for escaped personnel. With respect to accidental events HVAC shall be able to: prevent ingress of smoke or gas, dilute gas leakages (mechanically ventilated areas with leak sources), provide smoke ventilation for internal fire conditions,

provide acceptable environment for personnel and equipment.

2. Scope
In the HVAC system design, Technical Safety Engineer (TSE) is responsible for:

Review the HVAC design to ensure the air condition is meet the requirement Review the HVAC design to ensure that the HVAC is able to prevent ingress of smoke and gas Assess the survivability and availability of HVAC system during emergency condition (by perform ESSA study) Quantify the endurance time of HVAC system on the Temporary Refuge (TR) during an emergency (by perform SGIA study).

3. HVAC Design Requirement

3.1. General Requirement
The following is general requirement for HVAC design: HVAC services to all areas should normally be fan powered, except where it can be demonstrated that natural ventilation can provide adequate safety protection to the Installation. Separate HVAC systems would need to be provided for hazardous and nonhazardous areas. Power sources for HVAC systems, controls and their essential components would need to be available as required by the emergency shutdown logic of the Installation.

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It is suggested that systems should be capable of handling the differing types of gases and operating conditions likely to be encountered offshore. The systems would need to be designed so that they can provide adequate HVAC services during partial or phased operations such as hook-up, modification and when the Installation is not in use. Adequate operating margins need to be provided to offset such conditions and to maintain performance standards when air filters are in need of cleaning. On the Temporary Refuge (TR), HVAC shall be designed and hence it capable to function during the required endurance time in an emergency situation. The endurance time of HVAC system shall be assessed by SGIA study and the endurance time requirement for HVAC shall be assessed by EERA study. (OTO 01066)

3.2.

Air Conditioning Requirement

As mentioned above, HVAC must be able to control or conditioning air temperature, air humidity and air quality to ensure reliable operation of electronic equipment and provide comfortable working conditions for human. The air conditioning requirement for normally manned room and equipment is different. The requirement is tabulated below. Table 1: Air Conditioning requirement for HVAC system
No Room Temp. (C) 1 Living Quarter 20-26 PTS RH 20-80 Air Qlty Pre and post filter required ISO 15138 Temp. (C) 19 - 24 RH NORSOK Temp. (C) 20 - 24 N/A RH

30% 70%

Office

20-26

20-80

19 - 24

30% 70%

20 - 24

N/A

Control Room

20-26

35-75

19 - 24

N/A

20 - 24

N/A

Workshop Room

18-27

20-80

16 - 24 Pre and post filter required

N/A

16 - 26

N/A

Instrument and Electrical Room Battery Room

18-27

35-75

5 - 35

N/A

5 - 35

N/A

18-27

35-75 15 - 25 N/A 5 - 35 N/A

Laboratory

20-26

35-75

Pre and post filter

18 - 24

N/A

19 - 26

N/A

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No

Room Temp. (C)

PTS RH Air Qlty required

ISO 15138 Temp. (C) RH

NORSOK Temp. (C) RH

Note 1. 2. At indoor electronic equipment room, the relative humidity (RH) shall never exceed 95%, noncondensing For air quality control, ingress and distribution of dust particle into plant building shall be avoided by sealing the doors and incorporation of filters in AHU.

3. 4.

It is also recommended that the relative humidity be kept between 30 % and 70 %. These limits are set in order to decrease the risk of unpleasant wet or dry skin, eye irritation, static electricity, microbial growth and respiratory diseases. 35C maximum temperature maybe accepted for certain type of batteries.

3.3.

Ventilation Requirement

3.3.1. Natural Ventilation in Hazardous Areas - Natural ventilation in hazardous areas shall be adequate and able to provide an average ventilation rate of 12AC/h for 95% of the time (Norsok S-001). The ventilation rate shall be provided throughout the area to avoid stagnant zones. 3.3.2. Mechanical Ventilation in Hazardous Areas

Minimum Ventilation rate of 12AC/h should be provided. The ventilation rate shall be provided throughout the area to avoid stagnant zones (Norsok S-001). Ventilation shall be maintained or increased if possible in the event of an internal gas leak (Norsok S-001). Alarm shall be incorporated in CCR upon loss of ventilation.

3.3.3. Mechanical Ventilation in Non- Hazardous Areas with Internal Leakage Sources (e.g. turbine enclosure)

Ventilation shall be maintained or increased if possible in the event of an internal gas leak for such applications as turbine enclosures, while the equipment inside the building shall be trip-off (Norsok S-001). The ventilation type can be underpressure when located in an unclassified area The ventilation type shall be overpressure is applied when located in hazardous area. Uncertified equipment in non-hazardous area shall automatically disconnected upon loss of ventilation (Norsok S-001). Boost charging of batteries shall be tripped upon loss of ventilation as well as upon H2 detection.

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3.3.4. Ventilation in Non-Hazardous Areas with Openings Towards Hazardous Area (e.g. CCR, ITE Room) - Non Hazardous rooms shall have a reliable overpressure (minimum 50Pa) (Norsok S-001). - The doors or openings giving direct access less than 3m away from hazardous areas (Norsok S-001). - Alarm shall be installed in CCR which will triggered upon low overpressure relative to surrounding classified areas. Alternatively alarm shall be triggered both upon low airflow and time delayed indication of open door. 3.3.5. Mechanical Ventilation in Safe Areas (e.g. LQ)

There shall be a positive airflow into mechanical ventilated areas in safe areas. Non Hazardous rooms shall have a reliable overpressure (minimum 50Pa) (Norsok S-001). Upon loss of ventilation an alarm shall be triggered in CCR.

3.4.

Location Requirement

HVAC system shall be located in safe area, behind the blast / fire wall. All air inlets shall be located in non-hazardous areas, as far as practicable away from possible hydrocarbon leakage sources and minimum 3 m from any zone 2 boundaries (Norsok S-001). Air inlet of HVAC system shall be located away from any exhaust and vent and it shall be located in the upwind of process area. Simulation studies or wind tunnel tests should be used for location of main HVAC air inlets to ensure that HVAC systems serving quarters and emergency equipment rooms are minimally affected by smoke and escaped gases from incidents on board (Norsok S-001). Air inlets shall be located, or measures taken, so that accumulation of ice and snow is avoided. The distance between air inlet and HVAC outlet from hazardous areas shall be such that gas from the outlet cannot enter the air inlets. The distance between air inlets and HVAC outlet from non-hazardous areas like LQ shall be sufficient so that smoke from the outlet cannot enter the air inlets during active smoke control. All ventilation outlets from non-hazardous areas shall be into non-hazardous areas. The outlet air from hazardous spaces shall be routed through separate ducts to outdoor area which, in the absence of the considered exhaust, is of the same or lesser hazard than the ventilated space. Special considerations with regards to ventilation inlets and outlets can be made for enclosures for noise or working environment purposes.

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3.5.

Fire and Gas Detection Requirement

The principle for all areas should be to stop the supply of combustion air and to prevent fire, gas or smoke spreading, or where relevant sea water entry, through the ductwork system. This principle is performed by providing fire and detection system on the ducting. The gas and fire (smoke) detectors shall be provided in HVAC air inlet. In the event of gas detection and/or smoke detection, the fire dampers shall be closed to prevent fire, gas or smoke spreading. Smoke detector also shall be provided inside the building. During smoke detection inside the building, the fire damper will be also closed. It is preferable not to trip or shutdown the HVAC system including pressurisation fan during smoke and gas detection and hence HVAC system is able to circulate the air and maintain the comfortable zone. In this condition, electrical equipment in HVAC system shall be zone 1. 3.5.1. Damper Fire damper is safety critical equipment. It will prevent fire, gas or smoke spreading by proving isolation. Below is design requirement of fire damper: Dampers shall provide quick, reliable and effective means to prevent escalation of a fire into other areas. Dampers shall prevent ingress or spreading of gas or smoke. Gas tight dampers shall be installed in HVAC inlets and outlets. If gas and/or smoke are detected at ventilation air inlets, the ventilation fan shall be stopped and all inlet dampers shall be closed and the heating element shut off (Norsok S-001). The surface temperature of heating elements shall not exceed the auto ignition temperature of any gas potentially present in the area. Total response time for closing of HVAC inlet dampers in rooms where all ignition sources are shut down upon gas detection in the inlet shall not exceed 6 s. In rooms where ignition sources are kept alive hydrocarbon gas detection in the ventilation inlets shall ensure that a possible gas cloud is detected and dampers

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closed before a dangerous concentration can reach the ventilated areas. However, the total response time for closing of HVAC inlet dampers shall not exceed 6 s. Dampers and fans shall be interlocked to avoid abnormal pressure configurations. Damper position shall be monitored from the CCR. Fire-dampers shall be closed automatically by signal from the F&G-system and by fusible link.

4. Fresh Air/ Natural Ventilation

Natural ventilation is the ventilation of a building with outside air without the use of fans or other mechanical systems. It can be achieved with openable windows or trickle vents when the spaces to ventilate are small and the architecture permits. In more complex systems warm air in the building can be allowed to rise and flow out upper openings to the outside (stack effect) thus forcing cool outside air to be drawn into the building naturally through openings in the lower areas. These systems use very little energy but care must be taken to ensure the occupants' comfort. In warm or humid months in many climates maintaining thermal comfort solely via natural ventilation may not be possible so conventional air conditioning systems are used as backups. Air-side economizers perform the same function as natural ventilation, but use mechanical systems' fans, ducts, dampers, and control systems to introduce and distribute cool outdoor air when appropriate. The natural ventilation shall not be used for offshore building. The natural ventilation can be used for small onshore building only. Refer to Petronas standard PTS 31.76.10.10, the design requirement for fresh air ventilation in building is described below.

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(PTS 31761010)

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Standard: 1. 2. 3. 4. NORSOK Standard S-001 Norsok Standard H-003 Petronas PTS PTS 31.76.10.10 ISO 15138

Reference:

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