Measurements of the air temperature and air velocity were carried out in four buildings without air-conditioning using a newly developed anemometer whose sensitivity allows the examination of the dynamic behaviour of air movements. Recent results describing the physical reasons of draft problems were employed in order to re-examine the correlation between air movements and draft problems in a building. From the resulting evaluation criteria follows that besides, the environmental temperature and the mean air velocity, the magnitude of the turbulent fluctuations is important .
In this paper we describe the development of a multi-tracer gas system for measuring interzonal air movement in buildings. The system consists of simple and stand-alone gas injectors and sampling units. The injectors are capable of releasing up to four perfluorocarbon tracer gases in different parts of a building. Following tracer gas injection and mixing, small samples of air are collected using automatic sampling units. Each unit consists of a 16-position valve and a group of removable stainless steel tubes packed with solid absorbent.
Air change rates are measured by an IR-gas-analyser coupled with a microcomputer which is programmed to control measurements as well as data acquisition and evaluation. The implemented programs provide an instant access to results. The experimental equipment is installed in compact form on mobile units. Measurements have been taken in a university laboratory by using the decay- and constant-emission-method to examine air change rates under various conditions. Typical results are presented and show where each of the two methods is more appropriate.
Tracer gas concentrations are often analysed by using infrared spectroscopy. Infrared gas analysers have a fast response time and are accurate. Howener, this type of instrumentation is relatively expensive and can only be used for this type
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