Multizone infiltration studies at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory.

Multizone infiltration requires extensive and complex information about the flow characteristics and pressure distribution inside the building, and thus has been too difficult to develop and to validate. By relying on lumped parameters for the description of air flow distribution in a building, a simplified model is produced. This paper describes the parameters and considerations involved in the development of the multizone infiltration model.

The prediction of air infiltration.

Describes a reasonably accurate method for estimating air infiltration for engineers or energy auditors who are not specially trained in infiltration research. The method requires two steps: field measurement of the building properties, and calculation of the infiltration from weather data and themeasured properties. Fan pressurization techniques are described and how to use them to measure the air tightness of the building envelope, and the procedures required to make infiltration predictions with the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory infiltration model.

Guidelines for controlling air infiltration in buildings. Planungshilfsmittel zur kontrolle des luftaustausches in gebauden.

Summarizes the factors affecting air infiltration, with definitions of the terminology used. Discusses minimum and optimum air change rate, and choice of ventilation system. Lists research in Switzerland.

Infiltration and indoor air quality in energy efficient houses in Eugene, Oregon.

Twelve energy-efficient houses in Eugene, Oregon, USA, were measured for effective leakage area using blower door fan pressurization. Air exchange rates over a period of several hours were determined by tracer gas decay analysis. 

An automatic multi-tracer-gas method for following interzonal air movement.

A new method for measuring interzonal air movement, using up to four different tracer gases simultaneously, has been developed at the Polytechnic of Central London and tested in a solar air-heated experimental house in Peterborough, UK. 

Documenting air movements and infiltration in multicell buildings using various tracer-gas techniques.

Tracer gas techniques for measuring airflows in buildings fall into three categories - dilution, constant injection, and constant concentration. 

Summary of results of Phase 1 with measurements from five apartment blocks. Kurzfassung des berichtes zu Phase 1 mit messungen an funf mehrfamilienhausern.

During the winters of 1982/83 and 1983/84, air infiltration measurements were made in 34 dwellings in 5 apartment blocks. In all 34 dwellings the air leakage of the building shell was measured by pressurization. In 5 dwellings tracer gas decay rate was used to measure the air change rate, both with andwithout mechanical ventilation. Results of these measurements are presented.

Minimum air flow versus condensation. Mindestluft gegen feuchte.

Notes that the trend to airtight window constructions has upset the balance in buildings between moisture generation and its removal. Treats the factors which combine to determine whether a building will have moisture problems. Presents a procedure for the straightforward determination of the specific minimum air flow required in a particular building to prevent condensation on the inner surface of corners formed by two dimensional external walls. Determines the base air flow and the supplementary air flow for four models of representative apartments.

Indoor radon concentrations.

The indoor air of 60 residences in and around a Maryland suburb of Washington, DC, was monitored in a pilot study to determine residential radon concentrations. In each residence, a radon grab sample was acquired in the living room, and, if possible, in the basement. Infiltration rates were determined by tracer gas dilution. To help standardize sampling conditions, each home remained closed up for 8 hours prior to sampling and during analysis. Over 60% of the residences sampled showed air infiltration rates below 0.6 air changes per hour.

Ventilation system performance evaluation using tracer gas techniques.

Based on current concerns regarding indoor air quality and energy use, there is a need for in situ techniques for evaluating buildings' infiltration and ventilation characteristics. The U.S. National Bureau of Standards has developed and employed equipment and techniques for such evaluation. The measurement of whole building leakage and ventilation rates has been reported on previously. Additional procedures are presented here for a more complete evaluation of the ventilation system operation and the distribution of air within the building.

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