pressurization

Reports tests of the air leakage of 24 houses made using a fan to depressurize each house. Gives a table of results including indoor humidity, air-particulate levels, energy consumption and comfort conditions for each house. Comparison of test results with calculated values for air leakage suggests than doors and windows account for only a fraction of the total. Finds some correlation between indoor humidity, air-particulate levels and leakage.

Describes results of measurements of air leakage, surface pressures and air infiltration for several conventional and energy efficient houses located throughout the United States. The measurements are compared with predicted infiltration obtained from a simple model combining measured air leakage values and average surface pressures. It was found that within limits therewas reasonable agreement between measurements and predictions. Particular features of the energy efficient houses which reduce air leakage, and therefore air infiltration, are described.

Reports investigation whose object was to devise a quick and simple method for checking the airtightness of a whole building. Describes pressurization of building and gives results from 20 single family houses and five multifamily buildings. Finds that the majority of the multifamily buildings investigated conform to requirements in the regulations and about one half of single family houses satisfy the requirements stipulated for the transitional period.

Reports measurements of natural ventilation and leakage rates in two test rooms in a university building. Describes rooms and instrumentation. Gives results of pressurization tests with windows closed but not sealed, sealed, and weatherstripped. Gives results of measurements of ventilation rate using N2O as a tracer gas. Discusses the analysis of results and experimental errors. Compares measured rates with ventilation rates calculated using crackand ASHRAE methods.

Reports air leakage measurements made in a mobile home using sulphur hexafluoride as a tracer gas. The home was located in an environmental chamber where it was possible to measure and control the temperature outside the home. The effect on infiltration rate of inside-outside temperature difference, simulated wind, installation of storm windows, opening of doors and operation of the furnace for was investigated. Also reports pressurization measurements which showed that the installation of storm windows had little effect on air leakage.

Describes air infiltration measurements made in three apartment houses in the Chicago area using SF6 as a tracer gas. Two were in tenement districts and one was suburban. Data were collected in selected apartments in each building, and these data were used to estimate the infiltration rate for the entire building.

The Swedish building regulations give recommended tightness values for buildings of 3 air changes per hour for single houses, 2 air changes per hour for other housing with not more than two stories and 1 air change per hour fortaller buildings.

Reports low-pressure measurements of the leakage function of a building using an alternating (AC) pressure source with variable frequency and displacement. Synchronous detection of the indoor pressure signal created by the source eliminates the noise dueto fluctuations caused by the wind. Finds good agreement between AC and DC leakage results in pressure regions where the results can be compared. The low-pressure values made with the AC source suggest that the air flow is dominated by orifice flow effects down to pressures less than one Pascal.

Outlines the problems of modelling air infiltration. Reports measurements of the leakage function measured at low pressures using an alternating pressure source with variable frequency and displacement. Synchronous detection of the indoor pressure signal created by the source eliminates the noise due to fluctuations caused by the wind. Presents comparisons between these results and extrapolations of direct fan leakage measurements.

Describes an infrasonic method as an alternative to blower method for measuring the composite effective size of all the air-leakage passages of a building. Sinusoidally varying volumetric flows between 0.05 and 5Hz are generated by a motor-driven bellows-like source located inside the building under test. Resulting pressure variations are measured using a microphone-like sensor having an electronic signal processor. Reports system design and test results obtained to date. One house, five apartment and three interior rooms have been tested.