Impact of heating and air conditioning system operation and leakage on ventilation and intercompartment transport: Studies in unoccupied and occupied Tennessee Valley homes

Journal Article · Thu Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1990 · Journal of the Air and Waste Management Association; (USA)

OSTI ID:7157553

Matthews, T G; Wilson, D L; Thompson, C V; Monar, K P; Dudney, C S ^[1]

---

1. Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)

Forced-air heating and air conditioning (HAC) systems caused an average and maximum increase in air infiltration rates of 1.8- and 4.3-fold, respectively, during brief whole-house studies of tracer gas decay in 39 occupied houses. An average increase in air infiltration rate of 0.33 +/- 0.37 h-1 corresponded to an incremental air leak of 240 m3/h, based on approximate house volume. More detailed tracer gas decay studies were performed in basement, kitchen and bedroom locations of six homes with low air infiltration rates (i.e., less than 0.25 h-1). The HAC mixed the indoor air efficiently between measurement sites. HAC operation also caused 1.1- to 3.6-fold increases in air infiltration rates, corresponding to absolute increases of 0.02 to 0.1 h-1. In an unoccupied research house, three-fold increases in average air infiltration rate with HAC operation (i.e., from 0.13 to 0.36 h-1) were reduced to two-fold (i.e., from 0.10 to 0.18 h-1) by sealing the external HAC unit and crawlspace ductwork system. This sealing also resulted in a 30 percent reduction in crawlspace-to-indoor transport rates with the HAC turned on. Blower door tests indicated a less than 20 percent reduction in house leakage area.

• OSTI ID: 7157553
• Journal Information: Journal of the Air and Waste Management Association; (USA), Journal Name: Journal of the Air and Waste Management Association; (USA) Vol. 40:2; ISSN JAWAE; ISSN 1047-3289
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
320106* -- Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization-- Building Equipment-- (1987-)
320107 -- Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization-- Building Systems-- (1987-)
AIR CONDITIONING
AIR INFILTRATION
AIR POLLUTION
BUILDINGS
EFFICIENCY
ENERGY SYSTEMS
FEDERAL REGION IV
HEATING SYSTEMS
HOUSES
LEAKS
NORTH AMERICA
POLLUTION
RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS
TENNESSEE
USA
VENTILATION