Duct leakage measurement and analysis

Conference · Tue Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1995

OSTI ID:87399

Swim, W B; Griggs, E I ^[1]

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1. Tennessee Technological Univ., Cookeville, TN (United States). Dept. of Mechanical Engineering

Leakage measurements were made on 6-in. (150-mm) and 10-in. (250-mm) round and 14-in. by 6-in. (350-mm by 150-mm) and 22-in. by 8-in. (560-mm by 200-mm) rectangular ducts for both positive and negative internal pressures. The data were found to fit a power law model, with the leakage rate (Q) increasing with a power, n, of static pressure difference ({Delta}p), i.e., Q {proportional_to} ({Delta}p){sup n}. A convenient leakage prediction equation, Q = C ({Delta}p*){sup n}, uses a normalized pressure difference, {Delta}p* = {Delta}p/{Delta}p{sub ref}, with {Delta}p in in. wg (Pa) and a reference pressure difference, {Delta}p{sub ref}, of 1 in. wg (250 Pa). C{sub D}, the recommended design values of C for a repetitive element of a duct system--one duct section and one joint, ranged from 0.01 cfm (0.005 L/s) for a Vanstone flanged joint to 18.5 cfm (8.7 L/s) for an unsealed 22-in. by 8-in (560-mm by 200-mm) duct with a slip-and-drive joint. Most test ducts had C{sub D} values of 6 to 8 cfm (3 to 4 L/s) and had values of n close to 0.58. Joints were found to account for most of the leakage, and thus most of the value of C{sub D}, in unsealed ducts, with seams contributing only 10% to 38% of the total.

• OSTI ID: 87399
• Report Number(s): CONF-950104--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
AIRTIGHTNESS
DUCTS
LEAK TESTING
LEAKS
SPACE HVAC SYSTEMS