| Abstract: | Mechanical ventalation system performance involves the provision of adequate amuunts of outdoor air, uniform distribution of ventilation air within the occupied space, and the maintenance of thermal comfort. Standard measurement techniques exist to evaluate thermal comfort and air change rates in mechanically ventilated buildings; procedures to evaluate air distribution or ventilation effectiveness in the field are still being developed. This paper presents measuremetlts of air change rates and ventilation effectivenes in an office/library building in Washington, DC. The tracer gas decay technique was used to measure whole building air change rates. The air change rates during the measurement period were essentially constant at about 0.8 air changes per hour, somewhat below the design specification and above the minimum recmmmded in ASHRAE Standard 62-1989. Ventilation effectiveness was investigated at several locations within the building through the measurement of local tracer gas decay rate and mean local age of air. The ventilation effectiveness measurements serve as an investigation of the applicability of the m e a s u r r n procedures employed, providing insight into the measurement issue of establishing initial conditions, the spatial variation in test results within a building, and the repeatabildy between tests. The results of the ventilation effectiveness meusurements are consistent with good distrhtion of the outdoor air by the ventilation system and good mixing within the occupied space. |
