Instrumentation and data acquisition for monitoring effect of system operation on indoor air quality.

The indoor air quality of an actual variable air volume (VA V) heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HV AC) system in a building on the campus of the University of Missouri, Rolla has been analyzed, modified, and monitored. Components measured include temperature, relative humidity, C02, volatile organic matter (VOM), particulates, outside air flow rate, and building pressure. In addition to these parameters, the building is studied in normal operation, and for operation when the economizer damper was controlled to maintain minimum outside air. As expected, C02 and VOM decrease when the outside air ventilation rate increases. Additionally, several methods of controlling outside air on a VA V building were studied using computer simulation. These methods include economizer control, return air damper control, and return fan control of outside air. Results indicate that building performance can be significantly improved when an additional control loop is added for either outside air or return air damper, or both, control based on a signal related to the flowrate of the incoming outside air.