Thesis Proposal

Assessing Ventilation Systems in Hospitals and Evaluating

their energy saving potential.

Submitted by – Guided by –

Krutikaa Sharma Aalok Deshmukh

Faculty of Technology Schneider Electric
M.Tech Building Energy Performance
CEPT University
 Purpose & Aim of the study

• Hospitals maintain high ventilation rates to lessen the risk of microbial contamination. Because requirements for
outdoor air are substantial. HVAC account for nearly half of a hospital’s total energy use.
• By optimizing the HVAC performance Hospitals can achieve substantial energy savings and meet the demands of
infection control.

Infection control through Ventilation Systems?

• The main way that ventilation systems can be tweaked to improve operational efficiency is by optimizing the
design and outdoor air demand controls along with reducing pressure losses for individual components.
• The hospital study also looks into the extent to which heat recovery systems can be used in hospital ventilation
systems.
Research Questions:
• What are the energy savings potential of ventilation systems in hospitals?
• What are the strategies to maximize ventilation system output in Hospitals?
• What are the main parameters affect large energy consumption in the hospital ventilation
systems and how to minimize it ?
• How to optimize ventilation systems with specific requirements?

Significance of the study:

• This study aims at identifying energy conservation potential and methods, to maintain
acceptable IAQ , that can be incorporated in many of the similar bed sized general
hospitals.
• It looks and investigates into the demand and control of outdoor air and the energy
fraction required to condition ( Filter and cool) the Outdoor Air supply.
• Looks at preventing high pressure losses in the duct network.
Hospital Site Study
• Project – Trauma Hospital , Jogeshwari, Mumbai
G + 13 Floors / Floor height – 3.2 mts
• Climate zone – Hot and humid – Latitude – 19deg
• Facility – 300 bed hospital
Trauma Hospital
Floors - G + 13
Floor Height – 3.5 mts
Floor Plate – 1700 sq.m

Area of Focus – I.C.U (3rd Floor)

Space area – 768 sq.mts
No. of beds – 14 + 14 = 28 nos
Data Collection - As is case-
• Identifying Representative location to measure environmental
Boundary Conditions- parameters like temperature and humidity.
• Building Envelope • Sources and Occurrence of carbon dioxide , pollutants, etc
• Time - When to measure
• Fenestration
• Measurement period
• Infiltration
Ventilation and Total Air-Flow -
Internal loads – • Air Handling unit specifications
• Specification for each component to be gathered – Fans, Coils, filters,
• Heat generated by occupants & equipment. dampers and pressure drop across filers.
• Peak occupant loads and plug load density. • To measure & quantify the Air flow at the Fresh air supply, diffusion grille
(inlet) and return grille. Along with the temperature and RH.
• After the mixing of fresh air, check the mixed air temperature.
Plug & Process loads –
• To check pressure drop across filter, determining fan supply requirement &
• Connected load – rated ( Part of the base loads in hence also determine the fan efficiency.
the hospital) • Measure and count the number of air particles at the inlet and supply grille,
• Thermal loads – Heat generated when equipment is hence determining filter efficiency.
on. (during operation of the equipment) • Additional load on Cooling coil to condition fresh outdoor air, hence
determining energy consumption required for cooling.
• To measure and check if the AHU supply air temperature is not at setpoint
or varies too much.
• If yes, then is the diffuser distributing this considerably equal across the
room for comfort, stratification study of the space.
Air Handling Unit Controls- Preventing high pressure losses in duct network -

5 6 Why?
Air filtration often accounts for a lot of the overall pressure loss in a ventilation system. The greater
hygiene requirements in hospitals make the situation even more difficult because the filters required
3 often have two or three stages.

2 4 1 As the filters capture more and more dirt, the pressure drop increases.
If the filters are allowed to accumulate dirt, the pressure drop starts affecting the fan efficiency, and
Zone the filters may even start to collapse.
How to achieve this?
The filter area could be made larger to reduce pressure loses –
Temperature sensors This could be done in 2 ways –
Controller 1. Make the filter outlet area larger
2. Make the filter deeper.
1. The fan control system turns on when the fan is energized. This maybe a clock signal or a high
temperature space condition.
2. The OA temperature sensor supplies a signal to the damper controller. Or alternatively, the Maintaining a continuous positive pressure -
mixed air low or high temperature controller controls the outside air dampers to avoid excessive
high temperature air from entering the coils. Why?
3. The space temperature signal determines if the space is above or below the setpoint. If above, Positive pressure ensures a protective environment for the patient.
the economizer feature will be activated to control the outdoor and mixed air dampers. If below, The air should flow from within the ICU to the outside of the room during all the times.
the OA damper is set to a minimum position.
4. The mixed air controller controls both sets of dampers (OA and RA) to provide the desired mixed
air temperature. How to achieve this?
5. If the outdoor air temperature rises above the cut-off point for economiser operation, it’s
damper is returned to its minimum position. Differential Pressure indication device should be installed to permit air pressure readings
6. The return air damper is then opened up to a max. in the rooms and provide an alarm in case of a fan failure.
7. The discharge air controller controls the heating coil valve, outdoor air damper, exhaust air
damper, return air damper and cooling coil valve after economiser upper limit is reached. Ensuring air tightness by Well sealed rooms and openings.
Pressure control is maintained by modulating the main supply and exhaust dampers
based on a signal from a pressure transducer located inside the ICU room.