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Understanding Free Area in Air Distribution Products
April 15, 2025
Understanding the difference between Free Area and Effective Free Area is crucial for AEC professionals working with air distribution products like diffusers and grilles. Free Area refers to the actual open space of the product, while Effective Free Area is determined through lab testing to assess real-world performance based on airflow dynamics. The latter is more valuable for performance predictions, as it considers design factors like shape and material. Titus offers further insights into this topic through their Tech Talk Blog.
Each year, AEC professionals frequently inquire about free area data for diffusers and grilles. It's crucial to distinguish between two types of free area:
- Free Area: This denotes the actual unobstructed area of an air outlet, calculated by subtracting frame dimensions and summing all open face areas. It's straightforward for many grilles but can be challenging for diffusers with complex designs.
- Effective Free Area: Determined through lab testing, this measures the outlet's performance under specified conditions. By measuring air velocity and volume, it provides insights into how the product will perform in real-world applications, accounting for design complexities.
Effective free area is particularly valuable as it predicts actual performance rather than just physical dimensions. Factors like shape, material thickness, and design intricacies significantly influence airflow dynamics.
The distinction between effective free area and the area factor (Ak) lies in practicality and scope of testing. While effective free area offers precise performance insights, the area factor extrapolates performance across various product sizes based on tested samples.
For a deeper dive into air distribution and HVAC insights, explore the latest from Titus Tech Talk, where industry standards and product knowledge converge.
Discover more on this topic and related industry discussions at Titus Tech Talk Blog.
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Company: 
Titus
Product: Blower Coils
Of: Randy Zimmerman, Chief Engineer at Titus
Source: https://titustechtalk.online/f/free-area-vs-effective-free-area
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