Air infiltration in buildings

Technical Report · Wed Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1980

OSTI ID:6370839

Sherman, M H

A physical model of infiltration in buildings that can be used to predict the infiltration for a wide range of construction types and climate regions is presented. The problems associated with commonly-used tracer gas methods for measuring infiltration were examined in detail so that results obtained from the model could be properly compared with actual measurements. In addition, a simple model of the hydrodynamics of typical leaks in the building envelope was devised in order to study the physical processes of infiltration (i.e., the flow of air through cracks in the structure of the building). Finally, a method for quantifying the leakage of the building envelope (the quantity analogous to envelope thermal conductance) was developed. The name given to this measurement technique is AC pressurization. Although other methods exist for measuring the leakage of a building envelope, AC pressurization is far more accurate and can be used at lower pressures than any existing methods. The model, based on the determination of the effective leakage area, was used to predict the infiltration at 15 separate sites. Pressurization was used to calculate leakage area and then was used to calculate infiltration. Findings were then compared to direct measurements of infiltration at the sites. Agreement between the model and direct measurement by tracer gas techniques was +- 20% overall - a degree of accuracy far surpassing any previous model of infiltration capable of being generally applied.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Berkeley Lab., CA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 6370839
• Report Number(s): LBL-10712; ON: DE81023033
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
320100* -- Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization-- Buildings
AIR FLOW
AIR INFILTRATION
AIR POLLUTION
BUILDINGS
CALCULATION METHODS
DATA
FLUID FLOW
FLUID MECHANICS
GAS FLOW
HOUSES
HYDRODYNAMICS
INDOOR AIR POLLUTION
INFORMATION
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
LEAK TESTING
LEAKS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MEASURING METHODS
MECHANICS
POLLUTION
PRESSURIZING
RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS
SIMULATION
TESTING
TRACER TECHNIQUES
VENTILATION
WEATHER