English

This paper is concerned with measurement of airflow in ducts using an active (pumped) sampling system. The system is capable of sampling tracer gases using either tubes packed with adsorbent or sample bags. A perfluorocarbon tracer (PFT) was injected into the ducts using thermostatically-controlled heating blocks. The samples were collected and analysed using a thermal desorber/gas analyser system. Laboratory and field testing of airflow in ducts was carried out. A large office building was studied for measurements of ventilation rate, ventilation efficiency and air quality.

A new model concept has been developed to model the three dimensional energy and mass transfer in an imperfectly mixed fluid. The model permits to predict the dynamic behaviour of the volumetric concentration of heat flow, mass flow and fluid flow. A laboratory test installation has been built to analyse the model capabilities to predict the dynamic behaviour of the air flow pattern within a ventilated space in order to control the energy and mass transfer in the ventilated space.

Preliminary work has indicated that thermography can be used to determine air leakage pathways from or to buildings. Accurate measurements have now been taken using temperature controllable environmental chambers.These results reinforce the potential useof thermography for this application. In conjunction with the physical measurements a simulation has been carried out using computational fluid dynamics.

Improvements to ventilation systems for the purpose of saving energy may also affect the provision of good air quality. Measurement of ventilation effectiveness may be used to determine whether or not good fresh air distribution and satisfactory contaminant removal has been achieved in a specific case. However, for such measurements to be useful, it is necessary to establish recommended values of the parameters and to check the reliability of the measurement procedures. This paper is concerned with the second of these problems.

One of essential problems of the present research related to building analyses is air flows determination. Air flows not only cause energy consumption but also influence air quality parameters, specially in a multizone (and high) buildings. Thepaper presents the main assumptions of the newly developed simulation method. The major departures are addressed which distinguish this alternative method from other multizone models.These include the principles of dividing a dwelling house into zones and the accomplishment of the simulation.

In the mid-1980s, two London architects postulated that deflection of higher speed air from tall slab buildings could increase air infiltration from a neighbouring low-rise block, increasing its associated ventilation heat loss. These issues have been of much concern during the past two decades among designers, developers and local authorities; especially those considering in-fill near tall buildings. This preliminary study looks at the ventilation and space-heating loss of a three-storey low-rise office block located near a taller nine-storey slab building.