Commercial building ventilation measurements using multiple tracer gases

Conference · Thu Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1988

OSTI ID:7094802

Fisk, W J; Prill, R J; Seppanen, O

Researchers in the US have reported the results of measuring the nominal ventilation rate, i.e., outside air supply rate per unit building volume, in approximately 50 US commercial buildings. The nominal ventilation rate, and parameters that can be derived from the nominal ventilation rate, are sufficient for characterizing the rate of ventilation rate of ventilation only in buildings where the air is thoroughly mixed. Data that indicate the extent to which air is mixed in commercial buildings are largely unavailable. Mixing may depend on building size, internal configuration, the number and type of air handlers, and numerous other factors. When the indoor air is not fully mixed, indoor air quality and building energy consumption are influenced by such factors as local ventilation rates or ages of air, the extent and direction of interzonal air flow, the pattern of air flow between locations of air supply and removal, and the associated values of air exchange efficiency. We have obtained this detailed information on ventilation by labeling each airstream of entering outside air with a distinct tracer gas, appropriate monitoring of tracer gas concentrations, and specific procedures of data analysis. This describes the technical approach, methods of evaluating the data, and the results from two buildings. 8 refs., 4 figs., 2 tabs.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Berkeley Lab., CA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC03-76SF00098
• OSTI ID: 7094802
• Report Number(s): LBL-25614; CONF-8809127-1; ON: DE88016671
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
320107* -- Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization-- Building Systems-- (1987-)
AIR FLOW
AIR POLLUTION MONITORING
AIR QUALITY
AIR SAMPLERS
BUILDINGS
CHROMATOGRAPHY
COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS
DATA
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
EQUATIONS
EQUIPMENT
FLUID FLOW
GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY
GAS FLOW
INFORMATION
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
NUMERICAL DATA
SAMPLERS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
TRACER TECHNIQUES
VENTILATION SYSTEMS