Air Distribution

Air Distribution Tools

Practical calculators for airflow, velocity, air changes, friction rate, pressure, and duct-system design.

Q = V × A

Airflow, velocity & area

CFM
FPM
Cross-sectional area perpendicular to the direction of airflow.
ft²

Round geometry

in

Calculated area:

Rectangular geometry

in
in

Calculated area:

Calculated results

Air relationship

Airflow
CFM
Velocity
FPM
Area
ft²
Area
in²

Uses cross-sectional area only. No duct-equivalency or automatic sizing factors are applied.

Units & Terms

Quick reference for abbreviations and units used in these calculators.

CFM
Cubic Feet per MinuteVolumetric airflow rate.
FPM
Feet per MinuteAir velocity.
ACH
Air Changes per HourThe number of times a space's air volume is replaced in one hour.
ft²
Square FeetCross-sectional area, such as duct area.
ft³
Cubic FeetVolume, such as room volume.
in. w.g.
Inches of Water GaugePressure measurement commonly used in HVAC systems.
in. w.g./100 ft
Pressure Loss per 100 Feet of DuctDuct friction pressure loss expressed per 100 feet.
SP
Static PressurePressure exerted by air within an HVAC system.
ASP
Available Static PressureStatic pressure available to overcome distribution-system pressure losses.
ESP
External Static PressureStatic pressure external to the HVAC equipment used when evaluating the available pressure for the distribution system.
TEL
Total Effective LengthEffective duct-system length used for friction-rate calculations, including the effect of fittings where applicable.