ENERGY AUDIT T T AL-SHEMMERI P21

4 Ventilation

4.1 A ventilation duct is of circular cross section 1.2 m diameter carries the
fumes from a large hall. If the rate of 1.5 air changes per hour is
necessary, determine the capacity (m 3/minute) of the fan required for the
duty. The room size is 12m x 10m x 5m

Answer: 15 m3/min, 0.22 m/s.

SOLUTION:

(a) Volume flow rate (m 3/min) = number of air changes per hour x volume of
space 1 60

VI = (12x1 Ox5) X 1.5/60= 15 m 3/min

(b) Velocity in the duct is found as follows:

V= volumeflow = 15/60 =O.22m/s

cross - sec tional area 7r x1.2 2
4
ENERGY AUDIT T T AL-SHEMMERI P22
4.2 An office 1Ox1 Ox4m high is to be ventilated at the rate of 3 air changes per
hour. If the air flow at the rate is limited to 4m/s in the supply duct
determines:
(a) the volume flow rate
(b) the dimensions of a square duct for supply air.

Answer: 0.333 m3 /s, 0.288 m.

SOLUTION:

(a) The volumetric flow rate is

VI = Volume of building x air changes per second
= (1 Ox1 Ox4) x (3/3600)
=0.333m 3 /s

(b) The second definition

Volumetric flow is given by:

VI = Area of duct x velocity of flow

Hence the area of cross-section is calculated as follows:

A = V, = 0.333 = 0.0833 m 2
V 4

Area of square duct is Area = X 2 . Hence X=0.288 m

ENERGY AUDIT T T AL-SHEMMERI P23
4.3 A gym has dimensions of 30x20x4m high, is occupied by a maximum of
10 people. The ventilation system operates on supply rates of 12 litres/s
fresh air and 48 litres/s of re-circulated air per person.
Calculate the number of air changes per hour.

Answer: 0.6 m3 /s, 0.9

SOLUTION:

The total volume of air supplied is the sum of re-circulated and fresh air:

VI = (12+48) x 10
= 600 litres/s

=0.6 m 3 /s

By definition the volume flow is equal to the product of building volume and the
rate of air changes:

n
V, = Volumex - -
3600

3600XV,
Hence n = --:-----"-- 3600xO.6 = 0.9 ACH
volume 30x20x4
ENERGY AUDIT T T AL-SHEMMERI P24
4.4 Twenty people exercising simultaneously in a gymnasium. If the outdoor
air quality has CO 2 concentration of 0.07%, determine the rate of air
supply necessary to avoid the build up of CO 2 concentration over the
maximum limit of 0.25%. Assume the production rate for each person as
10.4x1 0- 6 m3/s.

Answer: 0.1115 m3/s.

SOLUTION:

Production rate of CO 2 P = 10.4x 10-6 (m 3 /s)

Indoor Concentration C , =025%

.

Outdoor Concentration C , =007%

.

The ventilation rate is determined by using the following equation:

P l0.4xlO- 6
~= =~----~--~
C, -C s (O.2S-0.07)xlO 2

= 0.00557 m 3 Is per person

For 20 people, the value will be 0.1115 m 3 Is

ENERGY AUDIT T T AL-SHEMMERI P25

4.5 A fan absorbs 3 I<':N of power and discharges 2.9 m 3 Is when the impeller
angular velocity is 1000 revolutions per minute. If the impeller angular
velocity is increased to 1200 revolutions per minute, calculate the
discharge in m 3 Is and the power absorbed for this new condition.

Answer: 3.48 m%, 5.184 kW

SOLUTION:

(a) Using the "Flow rate Fan Law"

1200 3
VIl =V"x(N2 IN,)=2.9x--=3.48m Is
1000

(b) Using the "Fan Power Law"

E2 =E,x(N2INY =3X(1200/1000)' =5.184kW

ENERGY AUDIT T T AL-SHEMMERI P26
4.6 A fan develops a static pressure of 300 Pa when the angular velocity of
the impeller is 800 revolutions per minute. If the angular velocity of the
impeller is increased to 1000 revolutions per minute, calculate the static
pressure developed by the fan for the new condition.
Determine the efficiency of the original system if its volume flow rate is
5m 3/s and power absorbed is 2.0 I<':N.

Answer: 468.75 Pa, 75%

SOLUTION

Pressure rise law:

t..P2 =f..P'X(N2/NY

= 300x(1 000 /800)2

= 468.75 Pa

The efficiency is defined as:

= V,X AP = 5X300 = 0.75

ry E 2000

or 75% efficient.