Ventilation Tutorial
Question 1
AHU only system with direct outdoor air intake is considered for the air-
conditioning system design of an open plan office floor in a building. The AHU
system can take 100% of air from outdoor, which controllable at the full range (0-
100%). The design air flow rate of the AHU is 5 m3/s. The average moisture and heat
generation rates of a person are about 5x10-5 kg/second/person and 0.1
kW/second/person respectively. Only the temperature control is adopted in the
system in both cases. The indoor temperature control set-point is reset between
20°C and 24°C. The AHU air flow rate can be controlled at the range between 2 and
5 m3/s. The AHU supply air temperature set-point is set at 15°C, but it is reset to
fully use free cooling when possible and to maintain the minimum total air flow.
Calculate the established steady-state indoor relative humidity (RH) and dry-bulb
temperature as well as the needed AHU supply air temperature at the following
situations when the number of occupants is 100. Assume simply that the outlet RH
of wet coil is 100%. (Air density: 1.2 kg/m3, air specific heat: 1.0 kJ/kg.K)
Outdoor Outdoor Non-occupant AHU AHU-only AHU
No. Temp RH heat gain airflow Outdoor Temp
(°C) (%) (kW) (m3/s) airflow setting
control (°C)
1 32 80 35 - min 15
2 18 75 25 5 max -
3 18 95 25 5 max -
4 18 95 5 5 max -
5 18 95 5 2.5 max -
Question 2
An air-handling unit (AHU) is designed to serve five zones (total 2000 m2) including four open
plan offices and one conference room of identical floor area in Hong Kong. The design supply air
flow of each zone is identical as 1 m3/s. The design occupancy number is 60 for each of the offices
and 120 for the conference room. The occupancy numbers of the offices are rather stable and close
to their design values in the office hours. The occupancy number of the conference room can be
assumed to have 3 levels: high occupancy (120 persons), medium occupancy (60 persons), low
occupancy (20 persons). A dedicated primary air-handling unit is proposed to provide the outdoor
air to the AHU.
A. Determine the minimum design air flow rate of the PAU.
B. A simple outdoor flow rate control is to be used to control the outdoor air flow rate provided
by the PAU according to the use of the conference room and the climate condition. Determine
the proper PAU air flow rates in the three conference room occupancy conditions and in
Summer (e.g. ambient temperature around 30°C) and Autumn (e.g. ambient temperature
around 16~18°C) conditions respectively. (State the total supply air flow rates of all zone are
at their design values)
C. Comment on the current design configuration and the appropriate improvement.
Table Selection of ventilation standards
Ventilation Tutorial - Solution
Solution Q.1
No.1
AHU air flow rate: (35+10)/[(24-15)x1.2] = 4.17 m3/s
Minimum outdoor air : 7.5x100 = 750 l/s = 0.75 m3/s
Humidity of air at AHU outlet: 0.0108 kg/kg (15C, 100%)
Humidity of space air: 0.0108+ 100x5x10-5/(4.17x1.2) = 0.0117 (kg/kg)
AHU load: (92-37.5)x0.75x1.2+(52-37.5)x(4.17-0.75)x1.2 = 108.6 kW
No.2
Total free cooling: no coil cooling
Space temp: (25+10)/(5x1.2)+18 = 23.8 C
Humidity of outdoor air: 0.0098 kg/kg (18C, 75%)
Humidity of space air: 0.0098+ 100x5x10-5/(5x1.2) = 0.01 (kg/kg)
No.3
Total free cooling: no coil cooling
Space temp: (25+10)/(5x1.2)+18 = 23.8 C
Humidity of outdoor air: 0.0124 kg/kg (18C, 95%)
Humidity of space air: 0.0124+ 100x5x10-5/(5x1.2) = 0.0126 (kg/kg)
No.4
Total free cooling: no coil cooling
Space temp: (5+10)/(5x1.2)+18 = 20.5 C
Humidity of outdoor air: 0.0124 kg/kg (18C, 95%)
Humidity of space air: 0.0124+ 100x5x10-5/(5x1.2) = 0.0126 (kg/kg)
No.5
Total free cooling: no coil cooling
Space temp: (5+10)/(2.5x1.2)+18 = 23 C
Humidity of outdoor air: 0.0124 kg/kg (18C, 95%)
Humidity of space air: 0.0124+ 100x5x10-5/(5x1.2) = 0.0126 (kg/kg)
No. Outdoor AHU flow Room Space Space RH AHU load
enthalpy (m3/s) Temp Humidity (%) (kW)
kJ/kg (°C ) (kg/kg)
1 92 4.17 24 0.0117 62 108.6
2 42 (5) 23.8 0.01 54 0
3 47.5 (5) 23.8 0.0126 67 0
4 47.5 (5) 20.5 0.0126 83 0
5 47.5 (2.5) 23 0.0126 71 0
Solution Q.2
A. Minimum outdoor flow rate for each zones
Zone 1 to 4 (offices): 2.5xP+0.3xA = 2.5x60+0.3x400 = 270L/s
Zone 5 (conference room): 2.5xP+0.3xA = 2.5x120+0.3x400 = 420L/s
The uncorrected fraction of outdoor air of the system:
X = (270x4+420)/(1000x5) = 0.3
The fraction of outdoor air in critical zone (Zone 5)
Z = 420/1000 = 0.42
The corrected fraction of outdoor air of the system:
Y = X/(1+X-Z) = 0.3/(1+0.3-0.42) = 0.341
The minimum design air flow rate of the PAU is then:
5000x0.341 = 1705 LS
B. Minimum outdoor flow rate for office zones are the same as design case: 270L/s
For Zone 5 (conference room):
High occupancy: 2.5xP+0.3xA = 2.5x120+0.3x400 = 420L/s
Medium occupancy: 2.5xP+0.3xA = 2.5x60+0.3x400 = 270L/s
Low occupancy: 2.5xP+0.3xA = 2.5x20+0.3x400 =170L/s
The uncorrected fraction of outdoor air of the system:
High: (270x4+420)/(5x1000) = 0.3
Medium: (270x4+270)/(5x1000) = 0.27
Low: (270x4+170)/(5x1000) = 0.25
The fraction of outdoor air in critical zone
High: 0.42 (Zone 5)
Medium: 0.27 (All zones)
Low: 0.27 (Zone 1-4)
The corrected fraction of outdoor air of the system:
High: Y = X/(1+X-Z) = (0.3)/(1+0.3-0.42) = 0.341
Medium: Y = X/(1+X-Z) = (0.27)/(1+0.27-0.27) = 0.27
Low: Y = X/(1+X-Z) = (0.25)/(1+0.25-0.27) = 0.255
The minimum design air flow rate of the PAU is then:
High: 5000x0.341 = 1705 L/s
Medium: 5000x0.27 = 1350 L/s
Low: 5000x0.255 = 1275 L/s
In the summer season, the outdoor air flow rate should be set at the minimum for acceptable
air quality and minimum energy consumption, i.e.
High: 1705 L/s, Medium: 1350 L/s, Low: 1275 L/s
But in Autumn, the outdoor air flow should be set to the maximum for low energy
consumption, if the design capacity of PAU is 1705 L/s, it should be used for all occupancy
conditions.
C. When no special constraint in outdoor air intake, it is recommended for the AHU to take
outdoor air directly without the use of PAU. As the outdoor air flow of 1.705 m3/s is the
minimum capacity of the outdoor air intake concerning acceptable air quality in design
occupancy. In Autumn (and winter) condition, more outdoor air can be taken for better
indoor air quality and to reduce cooling energy.
