NEPTUNE) High Accuracy, Low Cost Ventilation Verification Tool for Testing and Commissioning HVAC Systems FY2019-000193-AS
Abstract
ABSTRACT: Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) has identified HVAC systems as critical systemsthat have consistently experienced performance issues. NAVFAC has identified Testing, Adjusting, andBalancing (TAB) of all HVAC systems as an integral component of an in-house acceptance testingprogram designed to improve quality assurance. Exposure to CO2 levels typical of buildings withinadequate ventilation has been demonstrated to significantly affect decision making performance,particularly in the areas of basic strategy and initiative. CO2 levels are expected to be higher in placeswith higher occupant densities (e.g. conference rooms), where critical decisions are often made. Basedon our experience, WCEC researchers believe that existing TAB methods for ventilation systems relytoo heavily on operator expertise, are labor intensive, and do not produce auditable raw data logs.The WCEC proposes development of an innovative ventilation rate measurement tool for TAB that isbased on the well documented method of tracer gas decay. The proposed measurement tool will bedesigned to work as follows:1. Wirelessly-communicating CO2 sensors are distributed throughout a building with a granularityas desired (e.g., each office)2. The building is filled with CO2 to a level 4-5 times that of outdoors3. The ventilation system is operated normally4. The CO2 decay is measured for approximately 20 minutes5. The automated software quickly calculates a ventilation rate for each space6. Adjustments can be made to the ventilation system, and the decay can be measured for another20 minutes, and the process is repeated until design rates are satisfied.7. The sensors are collected and used for the next building.We expect that the tool will significantly reduce the time to test and balance ventilation systems withgreatly improved accuracy. Setup for the test is simple, even in buildings with complex ventilationsystems. The zones tested need to be vacant during measurement as building occupants emit CO2,which would affect the results.WCEC has built a prototype of the tool, tested it an office building with 22 spaces, and compared theresults to measurements taken by a third-party TAB contractor. The tool produced high accuracy results,with excellent repeatability for tests conducted on three separate days.The WCEC will use the project funds for research and development of the proposed tool (includingnetworked sensors and software interface). Field tests at naval facilities will be used to quantify theaccuracy of the instrument for several ventilation systems, and compare the accuracy, functionality, andlabor and material costs of the new instrument to existing methods.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Mar 11, 2020
- Source ID
- N000142012216
Entities
People
- Caton Mande
Organizations
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Navy
- University of California, Davis