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Towards higher energy efficiency of residential ventilation systems.

Number: pap. 348

Author(s) : FREI B., HUBER H.

Summary

According to existing information, the majority of Swiss residential ventilation systems have so far failed to attain the Swiss target and limit values for the specific power input (SPI in W/(m!/h)). A project funded by the Swiss federal office of energy titled 'Increasing the energy-efficiency of residential ventilation systems’ investigated where the difficulties lie and how to tackle the situation to build and operate more efficient residential ventilation systems. In this project 16 residential ventilation systems were examined. Volume flow of air, external pressure losses, electrical power input, internal and external leakages were measured. The obtained values were then compared to planning values. The results show that many systems were not running at the optimum operating point. Optimum operating points can be achieved by larger residential ventilation units and/or smaller fans. Although there were some systems running at good SPI values, their fans were running at low efficiency. External leakages in the measured residential ventilation systems were less severe than initially believed. Frequently there were leaky connections between ventilation units and the air distribution system. More important for achieving high energy-efficiency is to minimize the internal and external pressure losses. Obviously external pressure losses have the greatest influence on the specific power input. That means designers and contractors have the potential to realize energy-efficient residential ventilation systems, and it is up to them to do so. As the measurements show, good SPI values are only attained if the entire external pressure losses are kept below 150 Pa. For devices with rotors, the total external pressure losses should not exceed 100 Pa. However given the small Swiss market, and thus the bulk of residential ventilation units being developed and manufactured outside Switzerland, a potential for improvement does exist, but can only be brought about with difficulty.

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Pages: 10 p.

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Details

  • Original title: Towards higher energy efficiency of residential ventilation systems.
  • Record ID : 30008888
  • Languages: English
  • Subject: Environment
  • Source: Clima 2013. 11th REHVA World Congress and 8th International Conference on Indoor Air Quality, Ventilation and Energy Conservation in Buildings.
  • Publication date: 2013/06/16

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