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Objectives ower door and duct bluster measurement Theory and lab

Objectives Blower door and duct bluster measurements - Theory and lab

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Page 1: Objectives Blower door and duct bluster measurements - Theory and lab

Objectives

Blower door and duct bluster measurements

- Theory and lab

Page 2: Objectives Blower door and duct bluster measurements - Theory and lab

2

Infiltration/Leakage Measurements

(Calibrated Fans)• Flow going through fan is calibrated to

pressure rise across fan– If you measure pressure, than you know flow

• Requires very smooth inlet and outlet conditions

• Often have to restrict flow to get measurable pressure signal for low flows

• Examples:– Blower door and Duct Blaster

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Page 3: Objectives Blower door and duct bluster measurements - Theory and lab

Fan Pressurization

• In 1970s, smoke evacuation fans used to find air leakage

1. Install blower door

2. Use fan to create artificial pressure difference between inside and outside

3. Use smoke stick (or cigarette, etc.) to visualize flow patterns.

4. Seal leaks

Page 4: Objectives Blower door and duct bluster measurements - Theory and lab
Page 5: Objectives Blower door and duct bluster measurements - Theory and lab
Page 6: Objectives Blower door and duct bluster measurements - Theory and lab

Quantitative Blower Door

• How many points should you measure?

• How can you estimate uncertainty?

http://www.energyconservatory.com/products/products1.htm#pd16

Page 7: Objectives Blower door and duct bluster measurements - Theory and lab

Test Data

• 1000 ft2 house, 10 ft high ceilings

• Two-point test– 1688 CFM at 51 Pa– 1048 CFM at 24.5 Pa

• What is ACH50 (λ50), C?

Page 8: Objectives Blower door and duct bluster measurements - Theory and lab

Answers

• λ50= 1 ACH

• C = 131.07 CFM/Pan

• n = 0.65

Page 9: Objectives Blower door and duct bluster measurements - Theory and lab

Reporting blower door data

• Flow (or air exchange rate) at a given pressure

• Equivalent Leakage Area

– What are dimensions of c?

Page 10: Objectives Blower door and duct bluster measurements - Theory and lab

Comment

• Blower doors do not measure air exchange rate– Why not?

• What do they measure?

Page 11: Objectives Blower door and duct bluster measurements - Theory and lab

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Blower Door Misc. • All windows and doors to outside closed

– Why? What about buffer spaces?

• HVAC off• Hard to do on windy days • Watch out for buckling linoleum floors and

fireplaces• Flow direction change/ring change can be

discontinuous• Remember to record before and after reference

pressures with fan covered

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Page 12: Objectives Blower door and duct bluster measurements - Theory and lab

More Blower Door Tests• Measure component leakage

– What fraction of leakage is due to a certain component?

– Tape off component and repeat test• What are issues with this approach?

• Series leakage paths– Air leaks to attic and then to crawlspace and

then to outside

Page 13: Objectives Blower door and duct bluster measurements - Theory and lab

Residential Component Leakage

Component Range Average

Walls 18-50% 35%

Ceilings 3-30 13

Windows/Doors 6-22 15

Fireplaces 0-30 12

HVAC 3-28 18

Other Vents 2-12 5

Page 14: Objectives Blower door and duct bluster measurements - Theory and lab

Duct Leakage

• Responsible for enormous energy losses (20-30% is not uncommon)– Comfort– Outdoor air pollution– Contaminant spread

Page 15: Objectives Blower door and duct bluster measurements - Theory and lab

Duct Leakage

• Excluding registers, grills, diffusers– Ducts leak to the inside– Ducts leak to the outside (mostly an American

problem)– Ducts leak on the supply (positive pressure) side– Ducts leak on the return (negative pressure)

side

• What are we concerned from the perspective of:– Energy?, Indoor air quality? Comfort?

Page 16: Objectives Blower door and duct bluster measurements - Theory and lab

Duct Leakage Method 1

• Blower door subtraction• Two successive blower door tests

1. Normal2. With duct registers sealed (with tape)

• Difference is total duct leakage• Is this supply, return, or total?• Is this inside, outside, or both?• Problems and limitations?

Page 17: Objectives Blower door and duct bluster measurements - Theory and lab

Duct Leakage Method II

• Duct pressurization

• Tape registers

• Use Duct Blaster (calibrated fan) to do a “blower door” test of the ducts

• Is this supply, return, or total?

• Is this inside, outside, or both?

• Problems and limitations?

Page 18: Objectives Blower door and duct bluster measurements - Theory and lab
Page 19: Objectives Blower door and duct bluster measurements - Theory and lab

Duct Pressurization Test Extension

• How do you measure exterior leakage?

• How do you measure supply and return leakage separately?

• How do you measure duct leakage at operating conditions?

Page 20: Objectives Blower door and duct bluster measurements - Theory and lab
Page 21: Objectives Blower door and duct bluster measurements - Theory and lab

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Reporting Duct Leakage

• Are we interested in absolute amount of leakage or relative?– If relative, relative to what?

• ASHRAE Standard 152 defines:– αs supply leakage fraction– αr return leakage fraction

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Page 22: Objectives Blower door and duct bluster measurements - Theory and lab

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Air Handler Flow Measurement

• Often need to know flow through air handler– Historically many methods, all problematic:

• Non-uniformity of flow (i.e., very turbulent)

• True Flow Plate– Specialized type of orifice– Replaces filter– Gives air handler flow

• Pressure correction22

Page 23: Objectives Blower door and duct bluster measurements - Theory and lab

Other Duct Leakage Testing Methods

• Nulling test– Measures duct leakage at operating

conditions– Also measure air handler flow– Very intensive to set-up and also sensitive to

wind

• Delta-Q test– Only uses a blower door and does not require

taping registers– But mathematically problematic

Page 24: Objectives Blower door and duct bluster measurements - Theory and lab

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Nulling Test

• Step 1: Install Duct Blaster fan in doorway to building, turn on air handler and zero* out any pressure imbalance– What does the flow through the fan equal?– Why is this test sensitive to wind?– Under what conditions will this test fail?

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Page 25: Objectives Blower door and duct bluster measurements - Theory and lab

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Nulling Test (cont.)

• Step 2: Second Duct Blaster is installed in HVAC system, return side sealed off, air handler fan turned on, and air flow rate is adjusted to match supply plenum pressure under normal conditions

• Step 3: Step 1 is repeated– What is flow through Duct Blaster installed in

door this time?

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Page 26: Objectives Blower door and duct bluster measurements - Theory and lab

Summary of Nulling test • Use a Duct Blaster as envelope fan to “null out”

change in envelope pressure caused by unbalanced duct leakage

• First with normal operation –unbalanced leakage• Second with return isolated and a Duct Blaster

assisting the AH fan so there is no return leakage –supply leakage

• Difference is return leakage• Measures leakage directly –thought to be accurate• Very sensitive to wind

Page 27: Objectives Blower door and duct bluster measurements - Theory and lab

General Comments about Fan Tests

• Buildings are complicated, go slowly and methodically– Practice/experience are key– Practical matters (HVAC turned on, someone

stepped on a tube, wind, etc.) are very important

• Cardboard and tape are useful research tools/skills