This project was created to address an important issue currently faced by test facilities measuring static pressure for air-conditioning and heat pumps. Specifically, ASHRAE Standard 37, the industry standard for test setup, requires an outlet duct of a certain length, based on the unit outlet geometry, and this ducting added to the unit height may result in a test apparatus height that exceeds psychometric test room dimensions. This project attempted to alter the outlet duct in a way that reduces the test apparatus height while maintaining the reliability of the ASHRAE Standard 37 testing setup. The investigation was done in two scenarios, the first, which altered the direction of the flow after the unit with an elbow and measured static pressure downstream of the elbow, and the second which inserted a passive resistive piece in the flow to decrease the required distance between the unit and the static pressure measurement. Three air handling units were used in Scenario 1 and Scenario 2 testing, with the two smallest units additionally being tested in Scenario 1 with an over-sized duct. The scenario tests were required to be within 5% power and 2.5% airflow of a baseline test following ASHRAE Standard 37. he results for Scenario 1 have shown that ASHRAE Standard 37 can be modified to reduce testing height restrictions by using a square elbow with turning vanes, provided it is oriented in a specific way in relation to the blower. Furthermore, additional Scenario 1 testing on the over-sized outlet duct shows that possibilities exist for using a single over-sized duct to successfully meet ASHRAE Standard 37 testing conditions when testing a variety of units. Finally, the results of Scenario 2 have shown that the height constraints of the outlet duct can be reduced by installing a passive resistive device consisting of a mesh at the outlet; however, this approach applies only to those units with the heat exchanger located downstream of the blower. As a result of specific issues or problems that were encountered during the project that were beyond the scope, eleven case studies were presented and recommended for future work.

The Continuous Commissioning (CC) process is applied to existing buildings in order to reduce energy consumption by optimizing HVAC system operation and improving occupant comfort. The CC process consists of implementing energy saving measures for the air-side and plant-side of HVAC systems. Current development of a computer program (WinAM) by the Energy Systems Laboratory allows the expected energy savings from applying air-side CC measures to a given building to be estimated. However, there is no means for quantifying the potential energy savings from applying plant-side CC measures. The quasi-steady-state method and a regression of EnergyPlus library data were used for chiller modeling and the Merkel method was used for cooling tower modeling. Implementation of the models developed provides a means for quantifying the energy savings associated with plant cooling equipment CC measures. Chiller models have been developed for the following, with capacity range, average error, and standard deviation in parenthesis: air-cooled scroll chillers (15-168 tons, 8.07%, 9.13%), air-cooled screw chillers (69-513 tons, 7.38%, 6.13%), water-cooled scroll chillers (20-200 tons, 8.16%, 9.72%), water-cooled reciprocating chillers (20-364 tons, 10.30%, 7.81%), water-cooled screw chillers (194-498 tons, 9.87%, 3.65%), and water-cooled centrifugal chillers with inlet guide vane capacity control (233-677 tons, 12.07%, 5.96%) and with VSD capacity control (210-677 tons, 12.18%, 4.61%). From the chiller models developed, energy consumed by the chiller can be calculated as building cooling loads and fluid operating temperatures vary. Cooling tower models have been developed to predict cooling tower energy consumption as building cooling loads, added load from chillers, fluid operating temperatures, and ambient air temperatures vary. The models developed provide for predicting energy consumption when fan operation is by single-speed, two-speed, variable-speed with modulating outlet dampers, or variable-speed with VFD control. Implementation of the chiller and cooling tower models developed will allow WinAM users the ability to quantify the potential energy savings associated with changing plant cooling equipment operation.

During the past decade, building energy consumption has risen significantly. Meanwhile, the building area is being increased at a high speed. The conflict between high building energy consumption and low energy efficiency has attracted great attention in the construction industry. HVAC system contributes to most of the whole building energy consumption. Thus, it is imperative to study and analyze the means of HVAC system’s energy conservation. This study aims at addressing two specific challenges: (1) the lack of knowledge to know the kind of HVAC performance that can be evaluated as the criteria for decision making; and (2) the lack of efficient methods for collecting HVAC system and equipment data to comprehend the information used by decision makers. An effective way to minimize these challenges is to predict the HVAC performance of a new building at the conceptual design stage through the application of energy simulation tools. However, the development process of these tools is usually isolated, which results in having the information of a building model that is created by other tools cannot be shared. On another side, there is a need to establish an energy conservation expert system to use during the design of the HVAC systems for buildings. Based on the above, this study integrates Building Information Modeling (BIM) and decision-making system to select HVAC systems for buildings. First, the basic of HVAC components and systems are collected and stored in specific database that will be used for the optimization of HVAC design. Various types of heating/cooling equipment are presented based on ASHRAE standards. Second, the environmental, economic, technical performance and green building rating system are summarized as the criteria for evaluating HVAC performance. Then a combined AHP (Analytic Hierarchy Process) and Entropy structure for HVAC system is introduced as the Decision-making method. Finally, the interoperability of BIM tool is developed to bridge the connection between BIM tool and the HVAC decision making systems through the whole life cycle of buildings. The entire model is coded in Visual Studio via C#. The model is tested through a project to prove its workability and dependency.

Recent technological advances have extended the use of some old technology such as the X-10 home automation. With the use of X-10 and the Internet, a remote control home is possible. One of the major energy consumption appliances in a house is the heating, ventilating, and air conditioning system. The main objective of this study is to explore the possibility of using X-10 and the Internet to serve as an energy saving system. A simulation is used to estimate the energy consumption.

No description available.

The issue about how Scania shall perform HVAC tests in the climatic wind tunnel CD7, which Scania is about to complete by year 2013, has resulted in four test methods for truck HVAC and also a test method structure. The test methods have been chosen to focus on sun, snow and rain simulations. These are adapted and developed according to what should be tested and to what can be tested in CD7, which has been the object. With CD7 different climates can be simulated in a controlled environment for complete truck level, from desert with high sun load to arctic cold and snow. The test methods represents a basis to start from, for designers and test engineers which make the testing more repetitive as well as time eventually can be saved. Before the test methods can be applied they must be verified as they are based on theoretical and empirical assumptions. Test methods are not static and must be updated and developed continuously. By having a clear documentation with motivated choices for the methods, changes can easily be made. Another important part is for knowledge not to be lost over time. The aim with the master thesis has been that the study shall be basis for future testmethod development for HVAC at Scania. The structure makes an important component for documentation and the overview perspective. The structure is also flexible enough to be used for other test facilities, not only CD7, which should be a natural continuation. From the literature study in combination with interviews and observations, both internal and external, a modeling has emerged. Developed test methods have been discussed in a workshop with Scania personnel that gave feed-back to the methods. Performed interviews have demonstrated that explorative methods are usually made. At the same time the explorative testing evolve from established internal methods and requirement specifications. Requirement specification and testing are two subjects who have shown to be connected to each other. The interviews have also shown that solar simulations are among the most common tests concerning climate and HVAC.

Det är sedan tidigare allmänt känt att när temperaturen sänks på luft med en hög luftfuktighet så fälls det ut kondenserat vatten som en restprodukt. Ombord på stora kryssningsfartyg med många passagerare så är behovet av att kyla luften stort på grund av att passagerarna vill ha en behaglig inomhusmiljö, vilket leder till att det i fartygens stora luftkonditioneringsanläggningar bildas mycket vatten när luft kyls. Den här studien syftar till att undersöka om det går att ta tillvara på det vatten som bildas som en restprodukt i luftkonditioneringsanläggningarna. För att ta reda på om kvalitén och kvantiteten var tillräcklig för att det skulle gå att använda vattnet ur en luftkonditioneringsanläggning så togs ett vattenprov från en luftavfuktare. Detta vattenprov analyserades av ett utav Livsmedelverket ackrediterat laboratorium. För att undersöka hur mycket vatten som bildas, kontaktades en stor leverantör av luftkonditioneringsanläggningar för beräkningsunderlag på ett stort kryssningsfartyg. Övrig information har inhämtats genom litteraturstudier och intervjuer. Studien visar på att det är möjligt att använda kondenserat vatten ifrån luftkonditioneringsanläggningar till dricksvatten och tekniskt vatten. I vissa fall motsvarade vattenproduktionen 10-15 % av det totala vattenbehovet ombord på ett stort kryssningsfartyg. Dock visar också studien på att vattnet måste genomgå olika behandlingar innan det går att använda som dricksvatten alternativt tekniskt vatten.

Adverse health effects of human exposure to particulate matter (PM) in indoor environments and the associated costs have been of interest in recent studies conducted outside Canada. It was, therefore, necessary to investigate these effects in a Canadian environment. This study investigated the effects of building construction and Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems on the indoor concentration of airborne PM of outdoor origin and the related health impacts and cost savings in Ontario. Due to the complexity of the investigation, the study has been limited to the metropolitan areas of Toronto and Hamilton which represent much of the population of Ontario and a significant portion of all Canada. The main objective of the cost-benefit analysis (CBA) was to analyze and evaluate the effects of pollution in monetary equivalents. The modeling integrated the various models using the Impact Pathway Approach. The approach consisted of four steps: First, identify the sources and emissions of PM. Although the study focused on indoor environments, outdoor sources such as incomplete combustion from rush hour traffic were identified for the geographical areas of the study. Secondly, evaluate the dispersion or the concentration of PM on the site of interest. In order to achieve this goal, building modeling was first established that was applicable to Ontario. There were three homes and two commercial building scenarios: Existing homes (resExist), new homes constructed under minimum building code requirements (resBC), and under R2000 standard (resR2000); commercial buildings with 40% (school40) and 85% (school85) ASHRAE air filters. Air flow rates were calculated from building and HVAC sizing calculations. These flow rates were used to calculate input parameters for well-established mass balanced indoor PM concentration models. In addition, indoor exposure needed to account for time activity in each micro-environment in Ontario. This was accomplished by using time-weighted exposure modeling. Thirdly and lastly in the Impact Pathway Approach, evaluate the health impact and its monetary equivalent, respectively. In order to evaluate the health effects and monetary equivalents, the study considered fourteen retrofit cases which consisted of improving factors such as building construction, distribution system, and air filtration efficiency. Because input parameters were selected from data applicable to Ontario, the study provided a model setup that could be applied to future work in Canada. The study demonstrated that Canadian building construction provided significant protection from time-weighted PM exposure (Toronto, ambient vs. resExist/school40win, PM2.5 10.00 vs. 4.20 μg/m3). For this scenario, the prevented attributable number of cases (ANCs) was 721 for Toronto related to equivalent PM10. Cost savings due to building envelope protection of mortality alone much outweighed costs in investment scenario for new home construction (Toronto, $1,671 million vs. $21.6 million). Therefore, recommendations were made to invest in home construction. Similarly, the morbidity effects were very significant, especially for chronic bronchitis endpoints which were along the same magnitude as mortality for most of the cases. Similar results were obtained for Hamilton in proportion to their relative population at risk. In addition, Canadian building construction and HVAC systems showed larger time-weighted PM exposure in the summer compared to the winter conditions due to the various HVAC operating conditions such as air flow rates (Toronto, resExist/school40sum, PM2.5 5.18 μg/m3 ; resExist/school40win, PM2.5 4.20 μg/m3). Furthermore, cost savings from retrofits from existing home to forced air with air filtration were very significant. It was demonstrated that the cost savings related to reduction of equivalent PM10 exposure due to mortality alone much outweighed costs in retrofit investment scenarios (R2000, Toronto, $574 million vs. $4.96 million). Therefore, the government would be wise to promote more energy efficient homes by offering more incentive programs. Factors such as wall insulation, air flow rate changes of less than 600cfm, and HRV installation type did not played a major role. In addition, the effect of air filtration was more intense in homes compared to commercial buildings. Similarly, the impact of simultaneously retrofitting both, homes and commercial buildings, where children and adults spent most of the daily activities produced the greatest reduction of outdoor PM exposure. Installing high efficient air filtration in both homes and commercial buildings resulted in optimal reduced effects. The cost savings from the retrofit due to mortality alone much outweighed the investment scenario costs justifying the retrofit (Toronto, $470 million vs. $1.8 million). This demonstrated that PM concentration exposure reduction is a collective effort that needed to be regulated not only in ambient air level but in the work environment and in homes as well. It was identified that results were limited to model assumptions and input parameter data used. Since some of the parameters used, such as ambient PM concentrations, were average values, the results may not represent the exact actual conditions. Nevertheless, they provided a starting point since they were tailored to Ontario. Therefore, this study provided model simulation data that related to the Canadian environment having many factors in common such as weather, building construction, building systems, and government regulations. Therefore, the results are part of useful data for policy decisions as well as a starting point for future related work.

Automation is intended to improve overall building performance. Building Automation Systems (BAS) are attractive and popular due to their promise of increased operational effectiveness. BAS can be optimized and a well-designed and well-implemented BAS is expected to increase a buildings overall appeal and value as a result of improvement to its performance. In order to improve the level of automation in buildings, a measurement tool in the form of a performance index is needed. The goal of this research is to quantify a buildings level of automation-performance. The specific objective is to develop an Automation Performance Index (API) model for evaluating the extent of a buildings automation-performance. A methodology is outlined with ten tasks to accomplish the goals of this research and a criterion for each task is described. An extensive literature research and expert survey are performed to identify the key parameters that influence the performance of BAS. Seminars related to the building automation and commissioning fields were also attended to obtain the views of practitioners, manufacturers experts, as well as scholars in the field of building automation and performance commissioning. A Delphi method of research approach is conducted through a series of interviews and surveys of industry and academia experts. The feedback from experts and the research from literature, industry and academic resources are combined, classified and categorized for identification of significant parameters around which Automation Performance Index (API) model can be defined.

An improved test system for acoustical rating of air-movement devices was installed and evaluated at the Riverside Energy Efficiency Laboratory at Texas A&M University where measurements of sound pressure levels were carried out using an array of six microphones instead of the existing rotating boom- microphone setup. The new array setup did not generate any inherent transient noise peaks, which provided adequate signal-to-noise ratios suitable for low sone fan testing. The reverberation chamber was qualified for broad-band testing in the frequency range 50 Hz to 10 kHz. Important acoustical parameters, namely, reverberation time and natural modes of the chamber, were determined. The purpose of this study was to identify potential background noise sources by computing the coherence functions between microphones placed outside the chamber and a microphone placed within the chamber. No strong coherence was observed, thus indicating adequate sound attenuation characteristics of the chamber walls. The effect of background noise levels on the loudness rating of fans was evaluated. A low sone fan and a louder fan (loudness greater than one sone) were tested during night time when the background noise is the least and during daytime and with the air conditioners running (high background noise level). While both fan types showed no significant change in loudness when tested during daytime and during the night, accurate ratings were not obtained with the air-conditioners running due to inconsistent spectrum. Finally, it was observed that with the six decibels separation requirement between the fan and background noise spectra for a low sone fan, at very low frequencies (below 63 Hz), despite inadequate fan- background separation, the loudness rating of the fan does not change as the minimum perceived loudness at these frequencies is very high. At very high frequencies (greater than 5 kHz), the fan does not generate any noise and hence the fan and the background noise sound pressure levels are very close to each other.