MECHANICAL VENTILATION

Ventilation is the process of changing air in an enclosed space.

A portion of the air in the space should be continuously withdrawn and
replaced by fresh air drawn from outside to maintain the required level of air
purity, health, comfort and safety of building occupants. Ventilation is required
to control the following:

a) Oxygen content —
prevent depletion of the oxygen content of the air; b) Carbon dioxide and
moisture —
To prevent undue accumulation;
c) Other hazardous gases, such as, CO, NOx, SO2, etc —
To eliminate;
d) Odours and contaminants —
To prevent undue rise in concentration of body and other odours and
contaminants (chemical, VOCs, tobacco smoke, etc);
e) Bacteria —
To oxidize colonies of bacteria and fungi to prevent their proliferation; and
f) Heat —
To remove body heat and heat dissipated by electrical or mechanical equipment, and solar
heat gains.
• Ventilation may include either mechanical exhaust system or exhaust
can occur through natural means.
• Mechanical ventilation is one of the forms of ventilation option
available. It usually consists of fans, filters, ducts, air diffusers and
outlets for air distribution within the building. Natural ventilation and
natural exhaust,
 Following considerations affect the type of ventilation system selected
for a particular application and sizing of the ventilation plant:

• In an industrial environment, hot dry conditions occur around furnaces, forges, metal extruding and rolling
mills, glass forming machines, and so forth.
• a)Typical warm moist conditions are found in textile mills, laundries, dye houses, and deep mines where water
is used extensively for dust control. Warm-moist conditions are more hazardous than hot-dry conditions.
• b) Siting (and orientation) of a building is also an important factor. Solar heat gain and high outside
temperature can add significant heat load, in addition to the internal heat gains from occupants, equipment
and processes.
• c) The comfort level required is another consideration. In many industrial applications, comfort levels as
understood in the context of residential buildings, commercial blocks or office establishments cannot be
achieved and therefore, what is often aimed in industrial application is ‘acceptable working conditions’rather
than ‘comfort’.
Pressurization
• In a positive pressure system, the room is in positive pressure and the
room air is leaked out through envelope leakages or other openings.
In a negative pressure system, the room is in negative pressure, and
the room air is compensated by “sucking” air from outside. A
balanced mechanical ventilation system refers to the system where
air supplies and exhausts have been tested and adjusted to meet
design specifications. The room pressure may be maintained at either
slightly positive or negative pressure, which is achieved by using
slightly unequal supply or exhaust ventilation rates.
 Industrial Ventilation
• Industrial buildings find a major application of mechanical ventilation.
Industrial processes may use chemical compounds and toxic
substances which may cause particulates, gases and mists in the work
zone air in concentrations that cross the prescribed safe limits. Thus in
industrial buildings, ventilation is needed not only to provide oxygen
rich fresh air normally required for health and hygiene and to mitigate
against thermal loads due to equipment, people and building heat
gains, but also to remove and maintain the hazardous industrial
pollutants within safe limits. buildings find a major application of
mechanical ventilation.
Mechanical extract/natural supply
• This is the simplest form of extract strategy comprising one or more
exhaust fans, usually of the propeller, axial flow or mixed flow type,
installed on outside wall or on the roof. The discharge should
terminate in louvers or cowls or a combination of both.
• This strategy creates negative pressurization in the building and is not
suitable for dusty ambient environment, nor when dust free
environment needs to be maintained indoors.
Mechanical supply/natural extract
• This strategy is similar in form to the extract strategy but arranged so
that one or more fans supply fresh air into the enclosed space. Such a
system necessitates the discharge of vitiated air by natural means
through open doors, windows, other building openings and cracks.
• This ventilation strategy creates positive pressurization in the
enclosed space which is essential to maintain a clean interior
environment. For relatively closed spaces, positive pressurization
levels can be controlled by providing balanced pressure relief
dampers at selected discharge zones.
Mechanical supply/mechanical extract
• This strategy is a combination of the above two strategies and
consists of two independent systems — a mechanical supply system and
a mechanical extract system with or without their respective duct
system.
• This strategy provides the best opportunity for control of ventilation
parameters, such as, indoor air quality, air distribution, movement
and pressurization, but with additional system cost and complexity.
Ventilation for Heat Control
• Ventilation for heat control measures normally includes cooler
replacement air, an evaporative or mechanically cooled source,
velocity cooling method or combination thereof.
• The ventilation flow rate can be calculated using the following
equation:
• Qs=3.462xHs/∆T

• where Qs = air volume flow rate, in m3/h;

• Hs = sensible heat load, in kcal/h; and
• ∆T = allowable temperature rise, in °C.
General (Dilution) Ventilation Versus Local Exhaust Ventilation

• General exhaust ventilation (dilution ventilation) is appropriate when,

• a) emission sources contain materials of relatively low hazard
• b) emission sources are primarily vapours or gases, or small, respirable size aerosols (those not
likely to settle);
• c) emissions occur uniformly;
• d) emissions are widely dispersed;
• e) moderate climatic conditions prevail;
• f) heat is to be removed from the space by flushing it with outside air;
• g) concentrations of vapours are to be reduced in an enclosure; and
• h) portable or mobile emission sources are to be controlled.
Local exhaust ventilation is appropriate when,

• 1) emission sources contain materials of relatively high hazard;

• 2) emitted materials are primarily larger diameter particulates (likely to settle);
• 3) emissions vary over time;
• 4) emission sources consist of point sources;
• 5) employees work in the immediate vicinity of the emission source;
• 6) the plant is located in a severe climate; and
• 7) minimising air turnover is necessary.
 Local exhaust ventilation

• Local exhaust ventilation normally requires lower air flows than general (dilution)
ventilation.
• Dilution ventilation is used to reduce the concentration of vapours from a given liquid
solvent in the air to a safe level known as the threshold limit value (TLV) of the solvent
expressed in ppm (parts per million). For a given solvent, the volume of air required to
dilute its vapour concentration to below TLV can be calculated by the following equation:
• Air volume, in m3 per kg of evaporation =(24X106xk)/(mX TLV)
• where k = constant varying from 3 to 10 depending on the solvent, uniformity of air
distribution, dilution of vapours in air and location of exhaust hood; and
• m = molecular weight of the solvent.
• A local exhaust ventilation system normally consists of a hood, a duct system, air cleaner,
a fan and an exhaust stack. Such a system captures the contaminants at the point of
generation through a properly mounted exhaust hood. The exhaust flow rate is
determined from the area of the hood opening and capture velocity sufficient to prevent
outward escapement of the
Commercial Kitchen Ventilation

• The basic purpose of a kitchen ventilation system (KVS) is to provide a comfortable environment
in the kitchen and to ensure the safety of the people working in the kitchen and other building
occupants, by effective removal of effluents which may include gaseous, liquid and solid
contaminants produced by the cooking process and products of fuel and food combustion.
• This hot plume can be conveniently captured by placing an exhaust hood over the cooking
surface.
• grease is the most important constituent of effluent generation in a commercial kitchen.
• The most commonly used Type I hoods are available in four basic styles:
a) Wall mounted canopy;
b) Single island;
c) Double island; and
d) Back shelf or proximity.