Presents the first of two sections of report 34020, detailing measurements carried out over the winter period of 1975/76 in Swiss dwellings with mainly hot water heating and some extract ventilation in kitchens and bathrooms. The aim of the research was to obtain a general picture of air change conditions in typical Swiss dwellings and to determine the effect of influencing parameters. The overall aim was to take a step towards the establishment of more surely founded rules of calculating ventilation heat loss as a function of influencing parameters.
Gives a brief survey of aspects of research into air infiltration. Discusses methods of measurement of ventilation rates and of building leakiness, covering the infrasonic and pressurisation methods of leakage testing, and thermography and tracer gas methods of measuring ventilation rates. Describes the available techniques for predicting leakiness and infiltration rates, and discusses their ease of application and accuracy. Concludes that the achievements of research to date are sound methods of measuring leakiness and infiltration rates.
Gives a summary of the existing types of air infiltration measurement techniques and instrumentation using tracer gases. Describes automated air infiltration instrumentation used by researchers in the US, Canada, the UK, Denmark, Sweden and Switzerland. The equipment can operate in the decay mode, constant flow mode and the constant concentration mode.
In a modern residence with reduced air infiltration, a problem may arise if the fresh air requirement is left to natural leakage. The article discusses this problem, and describes techniques for measuring air leakage and typical results. The contaminants which define the need for ventilation are described and the case for controlled ventilation systems (and possibly heat recovery devices) is made. Areas for further research are recommended.
Describes a technique developed for measuring air flows between internal spaces of houses. Involves using a portable gas chromatograph to monitor the concentrations of three tracer gases released in three distinct zones within the building envelope. Using the results of each measurement, which takes approximately two hours, the ventilation rate of each zone can be calculated along with the interconnecting air flow. Presents the tracer gas equations involved, and includes an account of the experimental method and the practical difficulties encountered.
Notes emerging importance of airtightness and preparation of `Air Infiltration Handbook' by Sweden. Discusses the work of the Air Infiltration Centre under the auspices of the International Energy Agency. Reports on second AIC conference hosted by Sweden in September 1981. Discusses main topics presented at the conference dominated by the need for `controlled ventilation' and the problem of measurement.
Briefly reviews ventilation requirements, types of ventilation , driving mechanisms for natural ventilation and infiltration, natural ventilation, infiltration and air leakage, air leakage sources, empirical models and infiltration measurement.
Reviews the development of methods and results achieved. The methods have resulted in a proposal for a Nordic test method for measuring ventilation efficiency (local air change frequency) using tracer gas techniques and measurements carried out for two different ventilation systems.
Describes a variation of the conventional tracer gas measurement technique for measuring air change rates. Gives theoretical analysis of measurement results simulated with a computer for a complex system of six rooms where natural ventilation is measured in one case and fan-arrested ventilation in thesecond. Results from computer simulation are a measure of fresh air ventilation and not of a room's total air change rate. Diagrams illustrate assumed distribution under both conditions.
The primary aim of the project is to describe and document a measurement method suitable for checking whether minimum requirements for ventilation efficiency are fulfilled after a ventilation system has been regulated. The project concentrates on occupied areas with mechanical ventilation such as dwellings,offices and schools. Excludes industrial buildings since special conditions such as ventilation rates, polluting processes and local extraction apply to these. Defines ventilation efficiency, describes equipment and measurement with CO2, N2O, SF6, Kr85.
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