VWA 11 HVAC Elbow Duct

[Kevin]

I am trying to model a metal fireplace flue to check for clearances. The components are straight and elbow flue ducts. The elbows are 30 degrees.

The Vertical Elbow Tool seems best suited for this except that it is only available in a 90 degree bend. It goes from vertical to 90 degrees horizontal. What I need is vertical to 30 degrees. (Wish list item: Allow the same degree setting as the Elbow Duct Tool).

The Elbow Duct Tool will give any angle desired and thus can give me a 30 degree elbow. The problem is that it is designed to work in plan view, in the horizontal plane.

I have tried to rotate the Elbow Duct, but am told in a warning message that I cannot.

Is there a way to accomplish what I am trying to do?

[Robert Anderson]

The HVAC tools are oriented towards vertical chases feeding horizontal distribution systems, but it's a good idea to extend them towards flue type work. We'll take a look at your wish.

[Kevin]

Thanks Robert;

It would be helpful to be able to use the Duct tools for this. I have now modeled the flue system with 3D solids. I used Extrude Along Path for my elbows and an Extruded Circle for my ducts.

The trick is aligning and rotating these objects in 3D space. What would be great is to have Duct Tools that would align to each other and keep that alignment so that they could swivel.

It is difficult to align two 3D Solid elbow that do not have alignment points, such as centers that we can snap to. So it becomes a trial and error process of looking in plan view and aligning then going to left and align, and right and align, etc.

By the way, it is a good thing that I took the time to model this as I found several points of interference in my design. This is where computer modeling is so valuable. Otherwise I would have gotten that dreaded call from the contractor about my design not working.

Thanks Robert.

[mike m oz]

I also support the need for variable vertical elbows.

Ductwork quite often has to offset up and down to avoid obstacles or go into areas with lesser head heights. This is invariably done with angles other than 90? to lessen the resistance effect of the elbow on the airflow.

Please add this improvement.

[girwin]

Just started using the duct tools and they are super helpful for design, but I echo the need to move them off of strictly Cartesian geometry. It would be nice to parametrically rotate them in 3D.

 

I, too, had to extrude along path to create the end result of angled ducts, which are very typical in single-family residential and, as mike m oz pointed out, best practice to to reduce resistance/static pressure. It also reduces the space consumed.