Configure mechanical settings

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In this lesson, we will cover adjusting duct settings and adjusting pipe settings.

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This project was created using the default mechanical template.

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I've placed a few duct and pipe components so we can see how some of the mechanical settings work.

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To access the mechanical settings, switch to the Systems ribbon.

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On the HVAC panel, in the Mechanical panel and in the Plumbing and Piping panel,

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there's a dialog box launcher that will open the mechanical settings dialog

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to begin There are hidden line settings that will control the hidden lines for duct and piping.

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Then there are duct settings and pipe settings,

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and there are several that are similar and we'll kind of group those together and make this go a little quicker

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for duct settings and pipe settings. The first options here are used annotation scale for single line fittings

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and when this option is selected, then the fittings will use the pipe fitting annotation size or the duct fitting annotation size.

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So currently it's set to an eighth of an inch and I'll click Ok.

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And we'll take a look at an existing elbow that's here.

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And so the fittings also have an instance parameter called use annotation scale.

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So back to the mechanical settings dialog.

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When this first option is selected, then that instance parameter for the fittings will be enabled.

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When it's deselected If I create a new fitting, then it will not be selected.

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So I'll select it and you can see that that's disabled.

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And so if I select this or de-select this, it does not affect existing fittings.

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It just affects those that are placed.

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And whatever that option is, is what that instance parameter will be.

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For those that do have use annotation scale selected You can then adjust the pipe fitting annotation size or duct if you're dealing with duct

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and it will affect it for those that have that instance parameter selected.

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So in case you have extremely large fittings, if you're seeing that in your model,

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then this is where these are the parameters you're going to want to take a look at.

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Okay, moving on.

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There are a lot of prefixes and suffixes and symbols that you can adjust for things like the pipe size, prefix and suffix.

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And then if I switch back to the duct settings, you can see some similar settings there as well.

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So for example, here, if I go back here, I have a pipe size tag that has the round symbol place.

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And so that is coming from the pipe size suffix.

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And once again there are several of those.

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Back in the duct settings You can see that there is an air density and an air dynamic viscosity.

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And so those are obviously different from what's in the pipe settings, because in duct we're dealing with airflow through there,

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and so the air density is used to determine duct sizing and pressure drop,

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whereas the air dynamic viscosity is used in determining duct sizing when you use the duct sizing tool,

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and then once again several prefixes and suffixes.

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All right, continue on.

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You can adjust the angles.

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You can either choose to use any angle that the fittings will that will work for the fittings.

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Or you can set specific increments right here in the mechanical settings.

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Or you can choose to use specific angles,

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and then you can choose whether or not, there's a predefined list of angles here, and you can choose which ones which one of those you want to use.

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Same thing for pipe fittings there,

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the conversion settings, these are for the auto layout tools,

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and you can adjust this for the system classifications,

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and similarly for piping, you can control the main and branch routings and you can control the pipe type and then the middle elevation.

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And so that's if you're going to be using the auto layout tool.

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Next there are you can control the size is

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and so that's under duct settings There's sizes for rectangular, oval and round

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and then under pipe settings You can control segments and sizes.

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Now for pipe settings, the segments and sizes.

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The segments are used for the pipe types.

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And so that's where you will see those.

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A couple notes here.

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The used in size list, that controls when you're using that tool. What displays in the drop down

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for example, we'll look at rectangular duct here, I will deselect a couple of these half inch options here and then click Ok.

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And now when I activate the Duct tool and I scroll up here, you can see that those half inch sizes are not available.

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So once again, if these if these are selected, it will appear in the sizes list.

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And if they're not selected then they will not as we just saw.

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And that works for all the ducts and then for all the pipe segments and sizes as well,

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the used and sizing. This once again is for the auto layout tools.

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All right, moving right along here.

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Actually before we do that, let's touch on in addition to the pipe segments and sizes, you can control the fluids.

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And so this also affects sizing and you can control the fluid that is flowing through the piping obviously.

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And you can control the temperature, dynamic viscosity and density.

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And then also for piping, you can control the slopes

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and so when you're out piping you can slope. That piping,

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and the slope values will come from this dialog

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wrapping up here. There are calculation settings,

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and so for the duct settings, you can control the calculation method used for pressure drop, there's a few options available,

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and then for piping there's a few tabs here,

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and so to begin on the Hydronic Networks tab, you can choose whether or not to enable analysis for closed loop hydronic piping networks,

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and so for a little more information on what that does. There's a detailed explanation here in this dialog

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and then you can control the pressure drop calculation method on the Pressure Drop tab,

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and then on the Flow tab, you can select--

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well by default. There is just one option the Plumbing Fixture Flow,

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but if you, there are ways to add additional calculation methods and that's beyond the scope of this lesson.