HVAC
Abbreviation with 2 meanings
| Stands for | Heating, ventilation and air conditioning |
|---|---|
| Meanings | 2 |
| Categories | Science & Engineering |
HVAC has two meanings. It stands for Heating, ventilation and air conditioning (engineering) or High-voltage alternating current (energy).
Meanings of HVAC at a glance
| # | HVAC stands for | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Heating, ventilation and air conditioning | Science & Engineering › Engineering |
| 2 | High-voltage alternating current | Science & Engineering › Energy |
1. Heating, ventilation and air conditioning
Science & Engineering · Engineering Abbreviations
Systems and equipment that control temperature, humidity and air quality in buildings and vehicles, including furnaces, boilers, heat pumps, air conditioners, ductwork, fans and filters. HVAC design keeps occupants comfortable and healthy while using a large share of a building's energy.
Example: The HVAC technician found a clogged filter and low refrigerant charge in the rooftop unit.
Usually pronounced "H-vac." Willis Carrier designed the first modern air-conditioning system in 1902 to control humidity at a printing plant in Brooklyn, New York. Heating and cooling account for roughly half of the energy used in a typical US home. HVACR or HVAC/R adds refrigeration. In power transmission HVAC can also mean high-voltage alternating current.
2. High-voltage alternating current
Science & Engineering · Energy Abbreviations
Transmission of electricity as alternating current at high voltage, the standard method for most power grids because transformers can easily step voltage up for transmission and down for use. Lines commonly operate at 110 to 765 kilovolts.
Example: Offshore wind farms close to shore export power through HVAC cables, while distant ones need HVDC.
AC transmission won the "war of the currents" in the 1890s largely because of the transformer. Over very long distances and in undersea cables, capacitance and reactive power make HVAC inefficient. In building services HVAC far more often means heating, ventilation and air conditioning.
Related abbreviations
More engineering abbreviations
- HEPA – High-efficiency particulate air (filter)
- HMI – Human-machine interface
- HRC – Rockwell hardness C (scale)
- HSS – High-speed steel
- ID – Inside diameter
- IP – Ingress protection (rating)
- LOTO – Lockout/tagout
- MEP – Mechanical, electrical and plumbing
See all 79 engineering abbreviations →