VENTILATION

SYSTEM
BUILDING SERVICES

DEFINITION OF
VENTILATION
The basic idea behind ventilation is
to use air to remove heat from
within a building.
The process of changing air in an
enclosed space.

DEFINITION OF
VENTILATION AIR
Ventilation air as defined in
ASHRAE Standard 62.1 and the
ASHRAE Handbook, is that air used
for providing acceptable indoor air
quality.

DEFINITION OF
VENTILATION SYSTEM
Ventilation systems are used in
buildings to help moisture and heat
escape from the building.
This helps to keep the building dry,
avoiding damage to the structure or
materials.

THE PURPOSES OF
VENTILATION
To provide adequate oxygen to
support life.
To remove body odors by dilution.
To reduce the bacteria count, by
providing fresh air into the space.
To reduce any toxic gases, vapours
and dusts.

 To remove explosive gases and dusts.

To ensure that adequate combustion
air is provided to any combustion
process.
To lower the moisture content in the
air, thus reducing the risk of
condensation and mould growth.
To add to or remove heat from the
space.

 The rate of air change depends upon

the types of building and the local
regulations.
Public building usually require a
ventilation rate of 28 m per person
per hour.

THE TYPES OF
VENTILATION
There are 2 types of ventilation:

NATURAL VENTILATION
MECHANICAL
VENTILATION

NATURAL VENTILATION

THE TYPES OF NATURAL

VENTILATION

CROSS
VENTILATION

ADVANTAGES
NATURAL
VENTILATION
DISADVANTAGES
NATURAL
VENTILATION

STACK
VENTILATION

NATURAL VENTILATION
Natural ventilation is the process of
supplying and removing air through an
in door space by natural means.
Natural ventilation is occurs when
the air in a space is changed with
outdoor air without the use
mechanical systems, such as a fan.

The terms natural ventilation

relates to the air flow in a building
that is caused by three natural
factors:

i. Temperature differences (thermal

density) between the inside and
outside of the building.
ii. Wind forces around the building.
iii. A combination of (i) and (ii)

 Design guidelines are offered in

building regulations and other
related literature and include a
variety of recommendations on many
specific areas such as:

 Building location and orientation

Building form and dimensions
Window typologies and operation
Other aperture types (doors,
chimneys)
Construction methods and detailing
(infiltration)
External elements (walls, screens)
Urban planning conditions

THE TYPES OF NATURAL

VENTILATION
There are two types of natural
ventilation:
Cross ventilation (lower, fat arrow
in drawing)
Stack ventilation (upper, narrow
arrow in drawing)

Stack
Ventilation

Cross
Ventilation
Cross Ventilation and Stack Ventilation

CROSS VENTILATION
Cross ventilation relies on wind to
force cool exterior air into the
building through an inlet (window,
door, etc.) and to force warm interior
air out of the building through an
outlet (window, door, etc.).

The difference of Cross Ventilation between

Two Openings of
Adjacent Walls and Opposite Walls

STACK VENTILATION
The tendency for hot air to rise is
the physical phenomenon driving
stack ventilation.
Cool exterior air enters the building
through low inlets while hot interior
air exits through high outlets. Heat
is removed from the building during
the process

Stack Ventilation

 the amount of heat removed from a

building is directly proportional to
the inlet and outlet areas.
Other important factors in stack
ventilation are:
i. Stack height.
ii. Inlet and outlet temperature
difference

i. Stack Height
The larger the height differential
between inlet and outlet, the more
heat will be removed from the
building.
A larger height differential allows
more time for heat to transfer from
the building to the traveling air
thereby removing more heat.

i. Inlet and Outlet Temperature

Difference in Stack Ventilation
As with any two materials, the
larger the temperature difference
between two volumes of air, the
more heat will need to flow between
them to equalize their
temperatures.

 Thus, if the delta T between inside

and outside air is relatively large, the
heat removed from a building will be
relatively large.
Furthermore, a large temperature
difference between inlet and outlet
will cause the air to travel faster
from inlet to outlet.
This brings in a larger volume of cool
outside air causing more heat to be
removed.

Stack pressure in a tall building

THE ADVANTAGES OF
NATURAL VENTILATION
No power supply is required.
There are no fans.
There are no maintenance costs.

THE DISADVANTAGES OF
NATURAL VENTILATION
During the summer month, the
temperature difference between the
inside and outside is small, and with low
wind forces will result in poor ventilation.
During the winter month, the temperature
difference between indoors and outdoors
is high, with corresponding high wind
forces, resulting in high ventilation rates
and high rates of heat loss.

MECHANICAL VENTILATION

THE SYSTEMS OF MECHANICAL

VENTILATION

MECHANICAL
EXTRACT, INDUCED
INPUT

MECHANICAL
INPUT,
MECHANICAL
EXTRACT

MECHANICAL
INPUT, FORCED
EXTRACT

APPLICATION OF
VENTILATION
SYSTEM

MECHANICAL
VENTILATION
Mechanical ventilation is through an
air handling unit or direct injection to
a space by a fan.
Meaning, mechanical ventilation uses
a fan or fans to create air change and
movement.

 The designed to provide a positive air

change and air movement.
Its cost more to install, operate and
maintain.
There is also a risk of noise from the
fan and ducts.

MECHANICAL EXTRACT,
INDUCED INPUT
This method uses extractor fan,
creating a negative pressure within
the space.
With this method, a set flow rate can
be achieved.
The system is not at the mercy of
the weather.

 This system cause the inside of

building to be held at a
negative pressure.
So, air will be drawn in from outside
or from surrounding spaces that are
at a higher pressure.
A space may need to be held at
negative pressure.
For example in lavatories, kitchens
and process area.

Mechanical extract, induced input

MECHANICAL INPUT, FORCED

EXTRACT
If heating is provided, this is known
as a plenum system.
This is a ducted system, which may
provide air to a space in one or more
of the following conditions:

The conditions are;

i. Untreated air (no filter).

ii. Tempered air by means of a heater
battery (heated to near room
conditions).
iii.Warm air at a temperature high
enough to take of the fabric and
ventilation losses from the building.

 With air being forced into the space,

the pressure is positive.
Combined with a suitable extractor,
are found in hospital operating
theatres.
The positive pressure produced by
sterile air entering the room ensures
that all leakages are outwards.

A typical plenum system (mechanical input, forced

extract)

MECHANICAL INPUT,
MECHANICAL EXTRACT
The nature of the pressure produced
in this instance depends on the rate
of extraction to input.
It is no use if the input fans are
handling the same amount of air as
the extract fans, as this situation will
result in a neutral condition.

Mechanical input, mechanical extract

INTERNAL SANITARY
ACCOMODATION
Its must use a shunt duct to prevent
smoke or smells passing from one room
to another.
Duplicated fans are also required with
automatic changeover in the event of
failure of the duty fan.

Internal sanitary accommodation

BASEMENT CAR PARK

Its required an air change of about
twenty per hour and duplicated fans
with automatic changeover in the
event of failure of the duty fan.

Basement car park

THE TYPES OF FANS

There are five types of fans:
i. Propeller fan
ii. Axial flow fan
iii. Bifurcated fan
iv. Cross-flow fan
v. Centrifugal fan

i. THE PROPELLER FAN

Its does not create much air pressure
and will not move air through long
lengths of ductwork.
The fan is for free air openings at
windows and walls.

The propeller fan

ii. THE AXIAL FAN

Its can develop high pressure and is
used for moving air along ductwork.
The fan is fixed in the run of duct
and does not require a base.

The axial flow fan

iii. THE BIFURCATED AXIAL

FLOW FAN
Its used for moving hot gases. For
example flue gases.

The bifurcated axial flow fan

iv. THE CROSS-FLOW FAN

Its used inside fan convector units.

The cross-flow fan

v. THE CENTRIFUGAL FAN

Its can develop high pressure for
moving air through ductwork.
It may have one or two inlets.
A base is required for the fan.
The fan has various forms of impeller
depending upon the air condition.

The centrifugal fan

The types of impeller used

with centrifugal fans

THE LAWS GOVERNING THE

OPERATION OF A FAN
There are three main laws governing
the operation of fan;
a. The discharge varies directly with the
fan speed.
b. The pressure developed varies with the
square of the fan speed.
c. The power absorbed varies with the cube
of the fan speed.

HOME VENTILATION
Houses should breathe.
They should draw in fresh air and
exhaust stale air.
A house accomplishes this feat by
having the proper type and
combination of vents and fans in
unoccupied portions of the house.

Home Ventilation

Application Description

Air Changes
Per Hour

Bathrooms

5-8

Kitchens (Private)

10-15

Laundries

10-30

Toilets (Domestic)

2-3