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MECHANICAL VENTILATION

Compiled by

Mohd Rodzi Ismail

School of Housing Building & Planning
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INTRODUCTION

| Definition
z “the process of changing air in an
enclosed space”
• Indoor air is withdrawn and replaced by
fresh air continuously
• From clean external source
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| The importance of ventilation – to maintain air purity, i.e.:

z preservation of O2 content – this should be maintained at
approximately 21% of air volume
z removal of CO2
z control of humidity – between 30 & 70% RH is acceptable for
human comfort
z prevention of heat concentrations from machinery, lighting
and people
z prevention of condensation
z dispersal of concentrations of bacteria
z dilution and disposal of contaminants such as smoke, dust
gases and body odours
z provisions of freshness – an optimum air velocity lies
between 0.15 and 0.5 ms-1
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VENTILATION
REQUIREMENTS
| Control of ventilation rates - normally
based on recommendations by
authorities or code of practice.
| e.g. BS 5720
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Table 2.0 - Air changes rates (BS 5720)

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| Conversion from “m3/hour per person” to “air

changes per hour”

Air supply rate x nos. occupants

Room volume

| Example 1
z A private office of 30 m3 volume designed for 2
people

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x 2 = 2.86 air changes per hour
30
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MECHANICAL
VENTILATION
| An alternative to the unreliable natural
systems
| Components involved:
z Fan
z Filters
z Ductwork
z Fire dampers
z Diffusers
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Table 1.0 - Fresh air supply rates (BS 5720)

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Fans

| Provide the motive for air movement

(imparting static energy or pressure and
kinetic energy or velocity)
| It’s capacity for air movement depends on
z Type
z Size
z Shape
z Number of blades
z Speed
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| Basic law of fan capabilities (at a

constant air density):
1. Volume of air varies in direct proportion to
the fan speed, i.e.

Q2 N 2
=
Q1 N1
where,
• Q = volume of air (m3/s)
• N = fan impeller (rpm)
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2. Pressure of, or resistance to, air

movement is proportional to fan speed
squared, i.e.
P2 ( N 2 ) 2
=
P1 ( N1 ) 2
where,
• P = pressure (Pa)
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3. Air and impeller power is proportional to

fan speed cubed, i.e.

W2 ( N 2 )3
=
W1 ( N1 ) 3
where,
• W = power (W or kW)
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| Example 2
z A fan of 2kW power discharges 4 m3/s
with impellers rotating at 1000 rpm to
produce a pressure of 250 Pa. If the fan
impeller speed increases to 1250 rpm,
calculate Q, P and W.
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Q2 N 2 Q 2 1250
1. = = therefore, Q2 = 5 m3/s
Q1 N1 4 1000

P2 ( N 2 ) 2 P2 (1250 ) 2
2. = = 2 therefore, P2 = 390 Pa
P1 ( N 1 ) 2 250 (1000 )

3. W2 (N 2 ) 3
W 2 (1250 ) 3
= = 3
therefore, W2 = 3.9 kW
W1 ( N 1 ) 3 2 (1000 )
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| As fans are not totally efficient, the following formula

may be applied to determine the percentage

Total fan pressure x air volume 100

Efficiency = x
Absorbed power (W) 1

So, for the previous example,

390 x 5 100
Efficiency = x = 50%
3900 1
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| Types of fan
1. Cross-flow or tangential
2. Propeller
3. Axial flow
4. Centrifugal
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● Cross-flow or tangential fan

Tangential or cross-flow fan

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Tangential flow fan

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How tangential flow fans work

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z Propeller fan

Free standing propeller fan Wall mounted propeller fan

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Types of propeller fans

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z Axial flow fan

To protect the fan-cooled
motor in greasy, hot &
corrosive gas situations

Axial flow fan Bifurcated axial flow fan

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Types of axial flow fans

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Heavy duty Counter rotating

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Bifurcated axial-flow fan

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z Centrifugal fan

Centrifugal fan
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Air out

Air in
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Centrifugal fan impellers

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Wall type
Centrifugal fans
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Tubular
HVAC duty centrifugal fan Industrial duty
centrifugal fan
centrifugal fan
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Filters

| Four categories of filters

1. Dry
2. Viscous
3. Electrostatic
4. Activated carbon
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z Dry filters

Roll filter Disposable element filter

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z Viscous filters

Viscous filter
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z Electrostatic filters

Electrostatic filter
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z Activated carbon filters

Commercial cooker hood

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HEPA filters
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Ductwork

| Circular, square or rectangular cross-sections

More efficient, less

frictional resistance
to airflow

Convenience,
more easily
fitted into
building fabric

Circular & rectangular ductwork

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Table 3.0 - Ductwork data

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| Duct conversion
z For equal velocity of flow
2ab
d=
a+b
z For equal volume of flow
0.2
⎡ (ab) ⎤ 3
d = 1.265 x ⎢ ⎥
⎣ a + b ⎦
where
• d = diameter of circular duct (mm)
• a = longest side of rectangular duct (mm)
• b = shortest side of rectangular duct (mm)
• 0.2 = fifth root
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| Example 3 (duct conversion)

z A 450 mm diameter duct converted to rectangular
profile of aspect ratio 2 : 1 (a = 2b).

For equal velocity of flow:

2ab 2 x 2b x b 4b 2 4b
d= 450 = = =
a+b 2b + b 3b 3

3 x 450
b= Therefore, b = 337.5 mm and a = 2b = 675 mm
4
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0.2
⎡ (ab) ⎤
3
For equal volume of flow: d = 1.265 x ⎢ ⎥
⎣ a + b ⎦
3 0.2
⎡ (2b x b) ⎤
450 = 1.265 x ⎢ ⎥
⎣ 2b + b ⎦
0.2
⎡ (2b ) ⎤
2 3
450 = 1.265 x ⎢ ⎥
⎣ 3b ⎦

From this, b = 292 mm and a = 2b = 584 mm

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| Duct conversion – using conversion chart (simpler

but less accurate)

Circular to rectangular ductwork conversion chart

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| Noise control

Sound attenuation
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Table 4.0 - Recommended maximum ducted air velocities

and resistance for accepted levels of noise
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| Volume &
direction control

Air movement control

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Fire dampers

Fire dampers
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Diffusers

Grills &
diffusers
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Diffusers
airflow
patterns
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“Coanda effect” – created by restricted air and pressure at the adjacent

surface due to limited access for air to replace the entrained air above
the plume
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Suspended ceilings as plenum chambers

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SYSTEMS

| Mechanical ventilation systems

z Mechanical extract/natural supply
z Mechanical supply/natural supply
z Combined mechanical extract &
supply
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Mechanical extract/natural
supply

Extract ventilation to a commercial kitchen

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Extract ventilation to a lecture theatre

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Application of shunt ducts to a block of flats

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Mechanical supply/natural
supply

Plenum ventilation
system
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Combined mechanical
extract & supply

Combined mechanical extract and supply

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VENTILATION DESIGN
| Three methods of designing ductwork and fan:
z Equal velocity method
• the designer selects the same air velocity for use
through out the system
z Velocity reduction method
• the designer selects variable velocities appropriate
to each section or branch of ductwork
z Equal friction method
• the air velocity in the main duct is selected and the
size and friction determined from a design chart. The
same frictional resistance is used for all other
sections of ductwork
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Duct design chart

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| Example 4 (ventilation design calculation)

Q, air volume flow rate (m3/s) = Room volume x air changes per hour
Time in seconds
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| Given
z Room volume = 480 m3
z Air changes per hour = 6

Therefore

480 x 6
Q= = 0 .8 m 3 / s
3600
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Equal velocity method

| Air velocity throughout the system (duct A &

duct B) = 5 m/s (selected based on Table
4.0)
| Q, the quantity of air = 0.4 m3/s is equally
extracted through grille
z Duct A will convey 0.8 m3/s; duct B will
convey 0.4 m3/s
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(0.8 m3/s) (0.4 m3/s)

0.4 m3/s 0.4 m3/s

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450

320

From the design chart:

A
• Duct A = 450 mm Ø
• Duct B = 320 mm Ø
B
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From duct design

chart (equal
velocity method)
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| The fan rating relates to the frictional resistance obtained

in N/m2 or Pa per unit length of ductwork

| From the design chart

Duct A = 0.65 Pa x 5 m effective duct length = 3.25 Pa

Duct B = 1.00 Pa x 10 m effective duct length = 10.00 Pa
Total = 13.25 Pa

Therefore, the fan rating or specification is 0.8 m3/s at

13.25 Pa

Effective duct length – the actual length plus additional allowances for bends, offsets, dampers, etc.
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Velocity reduction method

| Selected air velocity in duct A = 6 m/s

| Selected air velocity in duct B = 3 m/s
| Q, the quantity of air = 0.4 m3/s is equally extracted
through grille
z Duct A will convey 0.8 m3/s; duct B will convey 0.4
m3/s

| From the design chart

z Duct A and B are both coincidentally 420 mm Ø
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From duct design

chart (Velocity
reduction method)
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Friction in duct A = 1.00 Pa x 5 m = 5.0 Pa

Friction in duct B = 0.26 Pa x 10 m = 2.6 Pa
Total = 7.6 Pa

Therefore, the fan rating or specification is 0.8 m3/s at 7.6

Pa

Effective duct length – the actual length plus additional allowances for bends, offsets, dampers, etc.
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Equal friction method

| Selected air velocity through duct A = 5 m/s
| Calculated airflow through duct A = 0.8 m3/s
| Calculated airflow through duct B = 0.4 m3/s

From the chart:

Duct A at 0.8 m3/s = 450 Ø with a frictional
resistance of 0.65 Pa/m
Duct B (using the same friction) at 0.4 m3/s = 350 Ø
with an air velocity of approximately 4.2 m/s
The fan rating is 0.8 m3/s at 0.65 Pa/m x 15 m =
9.75 Pa
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From duct design

chart (Equal friction
method)
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| Determination of sufficient air changes

| e.g.:
z Library (max. velocity of 2.5 m/s with a max.
resistance of 0.4 Pa/m length) – from Table 4.0

From the chart:

Maximum air discharged, Q = 0.1 m3/s
Duct size = 225 mm Ø
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Duct design chart

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From

Q = Room volume x air changes per hour

Time in seconds
and,
Air changes per hour = Q x time seconds
Room volume

= 0.1 x 3600
180

Thus, 2 changes per hour would be provided

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REFERENCES

| Greeno, R.(1997). Building Services,

Technology and Design. Essex:
Longman.
| Hall, F. & Greeno, R. (2005). Building
Services Handbook. Oxford: Elsevier.
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QUIZ

| Name 5 purposes of ventilation

| What is “coanda effect”?