Method and apparatus for measuring the rate at which air infiltrates into and out of buildings

Patent · Mon Jan 14 23:00:00 EST 1985

OSTI ID:5495990

Dempsey, J C

Tracer emission sources which emit tracer gas at a predetermined constant known rate are distributed throughout a building. The preferred source is a small vessel containing a vaporous perfluorocarbon tracer (PFT) substance having a very small bore hole in the top through which the PFT vapor can escape. Time is permitted for the tracer gas to mix uniformly throughout the building and for its concentration to equilibrate with infiltrating air. The concentration of the tracer is then measured and compared to the known volume of air in the building to determine the infiltration rate. In the preferred mode, the concentration is integrated and measured by continuously sampling the tracer gas at a constant rate on activated charcoal adsorbent over a period of several weeks. The amount of tracer substance accumulated on the adsorbent at the end of the test is directly related to the average tracer gas concentration which existed in the building during the sampling period and it can therefore be used to calculate an average infiltration rate during that period.

• Assignee: Taggents, Inc.
• Patent Number(s): US 4493207
• OSTI ID: 5495990
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
320100* -- Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization-- Buildings
ADSORBENTS
AIR INFILTRATION
BUILDINGS
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CHARCOAL
FLOW RATE
FLOWMETERS
FLUIDS
FLUORINE COMPOUNDS
GAS ANALYSIS
GASES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
METERS
TRACER TECHNIQUES
VAPORS