Measurement of airflow in residential furnaces

Technical Report · Sat Jan 24 04:00:00 EST 2004

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/826106· OSTI ID:826106

Biermayer, Peter J ^[1]; Lutz, James; Lekov, Alex

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1. LBNL Library

In order to have a standard for furnaces that includes electricity consumption or for the efficiency of furnace blowers to be determined, it is necessary to determine the airflow of a furnace or furnace blower. This study focused on airflow testing, in order to determine if an existing test method for measuring blower airflow could be used to measure the airflow of a furnace, under conditions seen in actual installations and to collect data and insights into the operating characteristics of various types of furnace blowers, to use in the analysis of the electricity consumption of furnaces. Results of the measured airflow on furnaces with three types of blower and motor combinations are presented in the report. These included: (1) a forward-curved blower wheel with a typical permanent split capacitor (PSC) motor, (2) a forward-curved blower wheel with an electronically-commutated motor (ECM), and (3) a prototype blower, consisting of a backward-inclined blower wheel matched to an ECM motor prototype, which is being developed as an energy-saving alternative to conventional furnace blowers. The testing provided data on power consumption, static and total pressure, and blower speed.

• Research Organization: Ernest Orlando Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA (US)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE. Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. Building Technologies Program (US)
• DOE Contract Number: AC03-76SF00098
• OSTI ID: 826106
• Report Number(s): LBNL--53947
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
BLOWERS
CAPACITORS
EFFICIENCY
ELECTRICITY
FURNACE BLOWER ECM MOTOR TESTING ELCTRICITY USE
FURNACES
MOTORS
TESTING
VELOCITY
WHEELS