A combined system of chilled ceiling,displacement ventilation and desiccant dehumidification

Different types of heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems consume different amounts of energy yet they deliver similar levels of acceptable indoor air quality (IAQ) and thermal comfort. It is desirable to provide buildings with an optimal HVAC system to create the best IAQ and thermal comfort with minimum energy consumption. In this paper, a combined system of chilled ceiling, displacement ventilation and desiccant dehumidification is designed and applied for space conditioning in a hot and humid climate. IAQ, thermal comfort, and energy saving potential of the combined system are estimated using a mathematical model of the system described in this paper. To confirm the feasibility of the combined system in a hot and humid climate, like China, and to evaluate the system performance, the mathematical model simulates an office building in Beijing and estimates IAQ, thermal comfort and energy consumption. We conclude that in comparison with a conventional all-air system the combined system saves 8.2% of total primary energy consumption in addition to achieving better IAQ and thermal comfort. Chilled ceiling, displacement ventilation and desiccant dehumidification respond consistently to cooling source demand and complement each other on indoor comfort and air quality. It is feasible to combine the three technologies for space conditioning of office building in a hot and humid climate.     

某报告厅空调系统的设计及其能耗分析

介绍了西安某办公楼报告厅空调系统的设计。分别应用置换通风与混合通风两种通风方式，在室外和室内设计参数相同的情况下，充分比较了它们在送风量、新风量、能耗以及室内空气品质的不同。结果表明在某些应用场合，置换通风在空气品质提高和能耗降低上有明显的优势，同时这种优势不以牺牲热舒适性为代价，因此建议使用置换通风系统。     

Energy impact assessment for the reduction of carbon dioxide and formaldehyde exposure risk in air-conditioned offices

Treatment of fresh air in ventilation systems for air-conditioning consumes a considerable amount of energy and affects the indoor air quality (IAQ). In this study, energy impact on ventilation systems was examined against certain IAQ objectives for indoor formaldehyde exposure risk in air-conditioned offices of Hong Kong. Thermal energy consumptions for ventilation systems and indoor formaldehyde exposure concentrations based on some regional surveys of typical offices in Hong Kong were reviewed. The thermal energy consumptions of ventilation systems operating for CO₂ exposure concentrations between 800 ppmv and 1200 ppmv for typical office buildings and the corresponding formaldehyde exposure risks were evaluated. The results showed that, for a reference indoor environment at a CO₂ exposure concentration of 1000 ppmv, the average thermal energy saving of ventilation system for a unit increment of the acceptable formaldehyde exposure limit of 1 h (loss of life expectancy of 0.0417 day) was 280 MJ m⁻² yr⁻¹; and for a unit decrement of the exposure limit of 1 h, an additional average thermal energy consumption of 480 MJ m⁻² yr⁻¹ was expected. This study would be a useful source of reference in evaluation of the energy performance of ventilation strategies in air-conditioned offices at a quantified exposure risk of formaldehyde.     

对热舒适、空气感觉质量及能耗的模拟研究

室内空调设计温度和新风量对热舒适，室内空气质量及能耗量有重要影响，然而对它们之间相互关系进行研究的文献却较少。通过计算机模拟空调系统在7种室内设计温度和7种新风量条件下的运行情况，得到不同的设计条件组合对热舒适、人体感觉空气质量及建筑能耗量的影响。基于这项分析，提出了此办公建筑合理的室内设计温度和新风量取值。     

An energy impact assessment of ventilation for indoor airborne bacteria exposure risk in air-conditioned offices

Treatment of fresh air in ventilation systems for air-conditioned offices consumes a significant amount of energy and affects the indoor air quality (IAQ). In this study, energy impact on the ventilation systems was examined against certain IAQ objectives for indoor airborne bacteria exposure risk in air-conditioned offices of Hong Kong. The relationship between thermal energy consumptions and indoor airborne bacteria exposure levels based on regional surveys was investigated. The thermal energy consumptions of ventilation systems operating for carbon dioxide (CO₂) exposure concentrations between 800 and 1200 ppmv for typical office buildings and the corresponding failure probability against some target bacteria exposure levels were evaluated. The results showed that, for a reference indoor environment at a CO₂ exposure concentration of 1000 ppmv, the predicted average thermal energy saving of ventilation system for a unit increment of the expected risk of unsatisfactory IAQ of 1% was 55 MJ m⁻² yr⁻¹ and for a unit decrement of 1%, the predicted additional thermal energy consumption was 58 MJ m⁻² yr⁻¹ respectively. This study would be a useful source of reference in evaluation of the energy performance of ventilation strategies in air-conditioned offices at a quantified exposure risk of airborne bacteria.     

Evaluation of four control strategies for building VAV air-conditioning systems

It is necessary to adopt appropriate control strategies to save energy and improve the indoor air quality (IAQ). On the validated TRNSYS simulation platform, four different control strategies are investigated to examine the indoor air temperature, energy consumption, CO₂ concentration and predicted mean vote (PMV) for the variable air volume (VAV) systems in an office building in Shanghai. As an original scheme, Strategy A using constant outdoor air intake fraction shows high energy consumption, low CO₂ concentration and acceptable thermal comfort. By using minimum outdoor air ventilation based on dynamic occupancy detection, Strategy B can provide more than 15% energy saving, acceptable PMV value but high CO₂ concentration in breathing zone. By using indoor air temperature reset, Strategy C presents the most energy savings beyond 20% reduction, low CO₂ concentration but poor thermal comfort. In mild seasons, combining enthalpy-based outdoor airflow economizer cycle with supply air temperature reset, Strategy D can achieve 9.4% energy savings and the lowest CO₂ concentration. Taken together, each strategy covers some strengths as well as some weaknesses. How to comprehensively assess a control strategy for all specific objectives should be considered in future studies.     

What is IAQ?

In spaces for human occupancy indoor air quality (IAQ) is often defined as the extent to which human requirements are met. But what requirements do people have in relation to indoor air? The desire is that the air be perceived as fresh and pleasant, that it has no negative impact on their health, and that the air is stimulating and promotes their work, i.e. it increases their productivity and the learning of their children in the classroom at school. Present ventilation standards and guidelines do not care about productivity and learning and have the very modest requirement that the indoor air shall be 'acceptable,' meaning that the most sensitive group of persons (usually 20%) perceive the air as unacceptable while the remaining less sensitive persons may find the air barely acceptable. With such a modest aim it is not surprising that comprehensive field studies in many countries in buildings in which ventilation standards are met show high percentages of dissatisfied persons and of those suffering from sick building syndrome symptoms. Recent studies show that improvement of IAQ by a factor of 2-7 compared with existing standards increases office productivity and school learning significantly, while decreasing the risk of allergic symptoms and asthma in homes. To make indoor air acceptable, even for the most sensitive persons, an improvement of 1-2 orders of magnitude may be required. The paper will discuss the development of new methods that can provide such substantial improvements of IAQ while maintaining or even decreasing ventilation and energy usage. A paradigm shift is required and further future shifts are foreseen where we learn how to make indoor air equally fresh and pleasant as outdoors when it is best. Or even better, i.e. 'out of this world.' PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: The paper estimates an enormous potential for improving IAQ in practice utilizing new emerging technologies. This will enable us to provide IAQ which is acceptable even for the most sensitive persons. Already modest improvements compared to present minimum standards and typical conditions in practice can significantly decrease the risk of asthma/allergy in homes, improve learning in schools and increase productivity.     

Modeling the resiliency of energy‐efficient retrofits in low‐income multifamily housing

Residential energy efficiency and ventilation retrofits (eg, building weatherization, local exhaust ventilation, HVAC filtration) can influence indoor air quality (IAQ) and occupant health, but these measures’ impact varies by occupant activity. In this study, we used the multizone airflow and IAQ analysis program CONTAM to simulate the impacts of energy retrofits on indoor concentrations of PM_2.5 and NO₂ in a low‐income multifamily housing complex in Boston, Massachusetts (USA). We evaluated the differential impact of residential activities, such as low‐ and high‐emission cooking, cigarette smoking, and window opening, on IAQ across two seasons. We found that a comprehensive package of energy and ventilation retrofits was resilient to a range of occupant activities, while less holistic approaches without ventilation improvements led to increases in indoor PM_2.5 or NO₂ for some populations. In general, homes with simulated concentration increases included those with heavy cooking and no local exhaust ventilation, and smoking homes without HVAC filtration. Our analytical framework can be used to identify energy‐efficient home interventions with indoor retrofit resiliency (ie, those that provide IAQ benefits regardless of occupant activity), as well as less resilient retrofits that can be coupled with behavioral interventions (eg, smoking cessation) to provide cost‐effective, widespread benefits.     

A novel approach for building occupancy simulation

Building occupancy is an important basic factor in building energy simulation but it is hard to represent due to its temporal and spatial stochastic nature. This paper presents a novel approach for building occupancy simulation based on the Markov chain. In this study, occupancy is handled as the straightforward result of occupant movement processes which occur among the spaces inside and outside a building. By using the Markov chain method to simulate this stochastic movement process, the model can generate the location for each occupant and the zone-level occupancy for the whole building. There is no explicit or implicit constraint to the number of occupants and the number of zones in the model while maintaining a simple and clear set of input parameters. From the case study of an office building, it can be seen that the model can produce realistic occupancy variations in the office building for a typical workday with key statistical properties of occupancy such as the time of morning arrival and night departure, lunch time, periods of intermediate walking-around, etc. Due to simplicity, accuracy and unrestraint, this model is sufficient and practical to simulate occupancy for building energy simulations and stochastic analysis of building heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems.     

Coupling indoor airflow,HVAC, control and building envelope heat transfer in the Modelica Buildings library

This paper describes a coupled dynamic simulation of an indoor environment with heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, controls and building envelope heat transfer. The coupled simulation can be used for the design and control of ventilation systems with stratified air distributions. Those systems are commonly used to reduce building energy consumption while improving the indoor environment quality. The indoor environment was simulated using the fast fluid dynamics (FFD) simulation programme. The building fabric heat transfer, HVAC and control system were modelled using the Modelica Buildings library. After presenting the concept, the mathematical algorithm and the implementation of the coupled simulation were introduced. The coupled FFD–Modelica simulation was then evaluated using three examples of room ventilation with complex flow distributions with and without feedback control. Further research and development needs were also discussed.     

Indoor air quality and energy performance of air-conditioned office buildings in Singapore

An integrated indoor air quality (IAQ)-energy audit methodology has been developed in this study in Singapore, which provides a rigorous and systematic method of obtaining the status-quo assessment of an 'IAQ signature' in a building. The methodology entails a multi-disciplinary model in obtaining measured data pertaining to different dimensions within the built environment such as the physical, chemical, biological, ventilation, and occupant response characteristics. This paper describes the audit methodology and presents the findings from five air-conditioned office buildings in Singapore. The research has also led to the development of an indoor pollutant standard index (IPSI), which is discussed in this paper. Other performance indicators such as, the ventilation index and the energy index as well as the building symptom index (BSI) are also presented and discussed in the context of an integrated approach to IAQ and energy. Several correlation attempts were made on the various symptoms, indoor air acceptability, thermal comfort, BSI and IPSI, and while BSI values are found to correlate among them as well as with IAQ and THERMAL COMFORT acceptability, no such correlation was observed between BSI and IPSI. This would suggest that the occupants' perception of symptoms experienced as well as environmental acceptability is quite distinct from IAQ acceptability determined from empirical measurements of indoor pollutants, which reinforces the complex nature of IAQ issues.     

Localized air-conditioning with occupancy control in an open office

Conditioning and ventilating open office spaces requires innovations as new buildings aim to be more intelligent, energy efficient and healthy. This paper explores the possibility of using a localized airflow to divide an open cubicle office into zones without partition walls. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model was used to simulate localized airflow in a cubicle office and both the energy and the indoor air quality concerns were addressed. The findings suggest that (1) localized airflow is plausible for zoning purposes, (2) localized airflow can result in both temperature and pollutant concentration segregations, (3) temperature segregations provide possible energy savings if coupled with occupancy-based HVAC control, and finally (4) limited air mixing between zones provide a novel way for better ventilation and indoor contaminant control.     

Energy savings modelling of re-tuning energy conservation measures in large office buildings

Today, many large commercial buildings use building automation systems to manage a wide range of equipment. This paper investigates the energy savings potential of several common heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system re-tuning measures on a typical large office building using the EnergyPlus software. Individual re-tuning measures simulated include automatic schedule adjustments, damper minimum flow adjustments, thermostat adjustments, as well as dynamic resets to static pressure, supply-air temperature, condenser chilled- and hot-water temperatures, and chilled and hot water differential pressure set points. All individual measures and combinations were simulated in 16 locations representative of different climates in the USA. Many of the demand-side individual measures were capable of reducing annual HVAC energy consumption by over 20% in most cities. Supply-side measures affecting HVAC plant conditions were only modestly successful (less than 5% annual HVAC energy savings). Some of the combinations revealed between 35% and 75% HVAC energy savings.     

Identifying decaying contaminant source location in building HVAC system using the adjoint probability method

Building heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) system can be potential contaminant emission source. Released contaminants from the mechanical system are transported through the HVAC system and thus impact indoor air quality (IAQ). Effective control and improvement measures require accurate identification and prompt removal of contaminant sources from the HVAC system so as to eliminate the unfavourable influence on the IAQ. This paper studies the application of the adjoint probability method for identifying a dynamic (decaying) contaminant source in building HVAC system. A limited number of contaminant sensors are used to detect contaminant concentration variations at certain locations of the HVAC ductwork. Using the sensor inputs, the research is able to trace back and find the source location. A multi-zone airflow model, CONTAM, is employed to obtain a steady state airflow field for the studied building with detailed duct network, upon which the adjoint probability based inverse tracking method is applied. The study reveals that the adjoint probability method can effectively identify the decaying contaminant source location in building HVAC system with few properly located contaminant concentration sensors.     

Is ventilation duct cleaning useful? A review of the scientific evidence

Ventilation duct cleaning (DC) is widely advocated to provide good indoor air quality (IAQ), health benefits, cost savings, and enhance ventilation system performance. The aim of the present review is to evaluate the scientific evidence as shown in the literature. There is evidence that under normal operating conditions, ventilation ducts can be contaminated with dusts and serve as reservoirs for microbials to proliferate. While controlled experiments noted that contaminants resuspension can elevate exposure levels indoors, no field studies have correlated poor IAQ with duct contamination. Despite high efficiencies of contaminant removal within the ducts during cleaning, reductions for different indoor air pollutants vary widely, where, post-cleaning air pollutants concentrations can be higher than pre-cleaning levels. Further, there are health concerns in the use of biocides, sealants and encapsulants. There is inadequate evidence to show that DC can improve airflow in ducts and reduce energy consumption. Although epidemiological studies indicate suggestive evidence that improperly maintained ducts are associated with higher risks of symptoms among building occupants, this review finds insufficient evidence that DC can alleviate occupant's symptoms. In summary, the need for duct cleanliness has to be properly balanced by the probable generation of indoor pollution resulting from DC and subsequent potential health risks. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: Existing evidence is insufficient to draw solid conclusions regarding positive impact of duct cleaning on IAQ, health benefits, cost savings and HVAC performance. Maintaining duct cleanliness has to be properly balanced by the probable generation of indoor pollution and potential health risks.     

Energy simulation in the variable refrigerant flow air-conditioning system under cooling conditions

As a high-efficiency air-conditioning scheme, the variable refrigerant flow (VRF) air-conditioning system is finding its way in office buildings. However, there is no well-known energy simulation software available so far which can be used for the energy analysis of VRF. Based on the generic dynamic building energy simulation environment, EnergyPlus, a new VRF module is developed and the energy usage of the VRF system is investigated. This paper compares the energy consumption of the VRF system with that of two conventional air-conditioning systems, namely, variable air volume (VAV) system as well as fan-coil plus fresh air (FPFA) system. A generic office building is used to accommodate the different types of heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems. The work focuses on the energy consumption of the VRF system in the office buildings and helps the designer's evaluation and decision-making on the HVAC systems in the early stages of building design. Simulation results show that the energy-saving potentials of the VRF system are expected to achieve 22.2% and 11.7%, compared with the VAV system and the FPFA system, respectively. Energy-usage breakdown for the end-users in various systems is also presented.     

Optimization of ventilation system design and operation in office environment,Part I: Methodology

Ventilation principles that integrate flexible and responsive elements have grown in popularity in office buildings due to increasing concerns about the impact of indoor environment quality on office workers' well-being and productivity, as well as concerns over the rising energy costs for space heating and cooling in the office building sector. Such advanced elements as underfloor air distribution (UFAD), passive swirl diffusers, and demand controlled ventilation have posed challenges to system design and operation. This paper is concerned with the development and implementation of a practical and robust optimization scheme, aiming to assist office building designers and operators to enhance thermal comfort and indoor air quality (IAQ) without sacrificing energy costs of ventilation. The objective function was constructed in a way attempting to aggregate and weight indices (for thermal comfort, IAQ, and ventilation energy usage assessment) into one indicator. The path taken was a simulation-based optimization approach by using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) techniques in conjunction with genetic algorithm (GA), with the integration of an artificial neural network (ANN) for response surface approximation (RSA) and for speeding up fitness evaluations inside GA loop.     

Performance of temperature and humidity independent control air-conditioning system in an office building

The temperature and humidity independent control (THIC) system, which controls indoor temperature and moisture separately, may be an attractive alternative to existing conventional HVAC systems for its prominent improvement on the overall system performance and utilization of low grade energy resources. In order to verify the effectiveness of THIC system, a pilot project has been implemented in an office building in Shenzhen, China. In the system, liquid desiccant fresh air handling units driven by heat pumps are utilized to remove the entire latent load of outdoor air supplied for the whole building, and chilled water at the temperature of 17.5 °C from chiller is pumped and distributed into dry fan coil units and radiant panels to control indoor temperature. This paper presents the results of field test of the system, which shows that the system can provide a comfortable indoor environment even in very hot and humid weather. The COP of the entire THIC system can reach 4.0. According to the energy usage data recorded from the year 2009, the energy consumption of the THIC system in the tested office building was 32.2 kWh/(m² yr), which demonstrates magnificent energy-saving potential compared with the conventional air-conditioning system (around 49 kWh/(m² yr)).     

挥发性有机化合物对室内空气品质影响研究进展

系统回顾了近年来一些国家对室内空气环境中挥发性有机化合物（VOC）研究的各个方面,包括VOC研究在室内空气品质研究中的地位,建筑物内VOC对人体健康的影响,VOC研究的实验方法、理论方法及主要研究结论,各国政府、学术团体采取的行动等。得出结论：与建筑科学、环境科学及人体健康相关的工作人员,如居住者、建筑业主、建筑科学家、环境科学家、心理学家和生理学家、建筑师与暖通空调设计人员、建筑和装饰材料生产商、供应商,都应重视VOC问题。     

Impact of psycho-social factors on perception of the indoor air environment studies in 12 office buildings

The main function of a mechanically ventilated office building is to provide a healthy and comfortable working environment for occupants, while maintaining minimum energy consumption. Twelve mechanically ventilated buildings were selected. They varied greatly in surface area, number of floors, occupant density, and building use. The indoor air quality, thermal comfort, energy consumption, and perception of occupants were investigated in these buildings. A total of 877 subjects participated in the questionnaire survey during the hot summer months of June, July, and August, and during the cold winter months of January, February, and March. The questions included in the questionnaire dealt with health, environmental sensitivity, work area satisfaction, personal control of the workstations environment, and job satisfaction. Measured parameters concerning the quality of indoor air included ventilation rate, concentration of TVOC, CO₂, CO, RH, and formaldehyde. The thermal comfort parameters included room air, mean radiant, plane radiant asymmetry, and dew point temperatures, as well as air velocity and turbulence intensity. Monthly energy consumption data was also gathered for each building. Ventilation performance, in terms of air flow rate and indoor air quality, was compared with the ASHRAE Standard 62-89R (Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality. Atlanta: American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning Engineers, Inc. U.S.A. [1]). The measured and calculated thermal environmental results were also compared with the ASHRAE Standard 55-92 (Thermal Environmental Conditions for Human Occupancy. Atlanta: American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning Engineers, Inc. U.S.A. [2]). CO₂ and CO levels satisfied the recommended limits. The outdoor airflow rate was half that recommended in only one building. The formaldehyde and TVOC levels were moderately higher than suggested comfort levels. However, more than 56% of the occupants rated dissatisfaction with the indoor air quality. Only 63% of the indoor climatic observations fell within the ASHRAE Standard 55-92 summer comfort zone; 27% in the winter. However, only 69% of those surveyed agreed with the comfort zones. More symptoms were reported by workers who perceived IAQ to be poor. Positive relationships were observed between the job satisfaction and satisfaction with office air quality, ventilation, work area temperature, and ratings of work area environment. However, job dissatisfaction did not correlate with symptom reports. The occupants were more dissatisfied with IAQ when they preferred more air movement. In other words, the higher the perceived air movement, the greater the satisfaction with IAQ.