MECHANICAL

VENTILATION

Ventilation Systems
Natural ventilation cannot be relied upon to always
provide enough fresh air to meet requirements.
Also more control can be obtained by using fans to supply
air to a space or to remove contaminated air from a
space.
Some mechanical ventilation systems use fans for both
supplying and extracting air, thus mechanical ventilation
systems may be classified as follows:

1.
2.
3.

Supply system
Extract system
Balanced system.

TYPES OF NATURAL AND MECHANICAL

SYSTEMS
Natural inlet and outlet (Fully Natural supply + Exhaust)

Natural inlet, mechanical outlet; (Natural Supply +

Mechanical Exhaust)

Mechanical inlet, natural outlet; (Mechanical Supply +

Natural Exhaust)

Mechanical inlet and outlet; (Fully Mechanical Supply +

Exhaust)

Types of Natural and Mechanical Systems

Four (4) possible combinations of natural and mechanical ventilations are as
follows;
Natural inlet and outlet (Fully Natural supply + Exhaust)
utilizing open able windows, air bricks, louvers, door-way and chimneys.
Provide up to about three air changes per hour but depend upon wind
direction and strength, the stack effect of rising warm air, and opening
around doors and windows.
Natural inlet, mechanical outlet; (Natural Supply + Mechanical Exhaust)
Mechanical extract fans in windows or roofs and ducted systems where
the air is to be discharged away from the occupied space owing to its
contamination with heat, smoke, water vapor and odour.. This system
can be used in dwellings, offices, factories or public buildings.
Mechanical inlet, natural outlet; (Mechanical Supply + Natural Exhaust)
Air is blown into the building through a fan convector or ducted system
to pressurize the internal atmosphere slightly with a heated air supply.
The air leaks out of the building through openings and permanent air
bricks or louvers.
Mechanical inlet and outlet; (Fully Mechanical Supply + Exhaust)
When natural ventilation openings unable to cope with large air flow
rates without disturbing the architecture or causing uncontrollable
draughts. Full mechanical control of air conditioning and ventilation
system are in used.

i)

ii)

Introduction

Indoor/outdoor exchange of air to replenish

oxygen and to remove pollutants generated by
breathing, indoor activities and emissions from
building materials and furnishings.
Poor indoor air quality causes or irritate 50% of
all illnesses and can lead to a host of health
problems for people of all ages.

For ages, most buildings relied on openings

through the building envelope to provide
indoor/outdoor air exchange. Nowadays,
mechanical ventilation can make it safe to seal
unwanted air leaks and install as much
insulation as needed.
Ventilation in modern buildings (enclosed space
and without natural ventilation) requires
additional equipment to create air movement.

The purposes/objectives of mechanical ventilation

system:

1.To get enough air (quality and

quantity).
2.To control ventilation systems
(flow in and out)
3.To control indoor
environment (air quality, air
velocity, location, way of use).
4.To remove heat and dirty air.

Four (4) basic types of

whole-house mechanical
ventilation systems:
Exhaust System
Supply System
Balanced System
Plenum System

(A) EXHAUST SYSTEM

An exhaust system may consist of a single fan that is centrally located

in a hallway or at the top of the stairs
Three (3) mode of operation:
1. Mechanical inlet, natural exhaust (positive/over pressure)
2. Natural inlet, mechanical exhaust (negative/under pressure)
3. Mechanical inlet and exhaust (controlled pressure)

EXHAUST SYSTEM
Mechanical Air Supply with Natural Air
Exhaust
Air supply is controlled mechanically and
the air exhaust takes place on a natural
way by ventilation openings, windows or
shafts. There will be an overpressure in the
building.
An air filter used to clean the incoming air.
A ventilator (or fan) controls the air supply
and the outdoor air is transported into the
building by ducts.
By controlling the ventilator it is possible to
control the ventilation capacity for the
system.

EXHAUST SYSTEM
Natural air supply with mechanical air exhaust
Popular form of ventilation in residential and offices.
The mechanical air exhaust system creates an under pressure in the building, the
system is less dependent on the weather. The under pressure creates a pressure
difference over the ventilation openings encourage the air to suck in.
Ventilation capacity (air out) controlled by an exhaust ventilator.

Mechanical Supply and Exhaust

EXHAUST SYSTEM

A mechanical ventilation system can be combined

with all sorts of heating and cooling systems.
Often the heating, cooling and ventilation of a
building are combined in the air-conditioning
system (HVAC).
In a mechanical ventilation system the supply air
and the exhaust air are transported mechanically.

Advantages of an Exhaust Ventilation are:

Good control of the ventilation capacity; no
dependence of the outdoor weather conditions and
despite possible noisy environment.
The possibility of extracting heat from the exhaust
air and use it to preheat the fresh air supply (heat
recovery).
The possibility of preheating and pre-cooling of the
air supply.
The possibility of humidify and dehumidify of the air
supply.
The possibility of cleaning the air by an air filter or
supplying the air from a relative clean site of the
building.

1. Supply

Ventilation System

Fresh air is supplied to a space from outside as

shown below; this air provides oxygen for breathing
and ventilation for occupants.
Air is removed from the space by natural means
since the room is pressurised by the supply air.

(b) Supply System

In a supply system, a fan pulls outside air into the house, creating positive
pressure.
Ductwork brings the air into the living spaces that need it most typically
the bedrooms and living room.

Spot exhaust fans are still needed in high-pollutant areas such as the
kitchen, bathroom, and laundry room.

A supply system slightly pressurizes the house by drawing outdoor air into the
house. This pressurization pushes indoor air out through small openings in the
building, which helps to prevent outside moisture and pollutants from getting in
through these passages. Positive indoor pressure also protects against back
drafting.

2. Extract Ventilation System

The principal function of an extract
ventilation system is the removal of an
unwanted contaminant, whether it is solid,
gaseous or thermal.
Air is extracted from the space and replaced
by fresh air entering from outside; the space
is under negative pressure; therefore air is
naturally drawn into the building as shown
below.

The photograph shows a typical domestic extract hood

3.

Balanced Ventilation Systems

A balanced system enables full control of

ventilation to be achieved by the use of separate
mechanical supply and extract systems.

It is usual to provide a surplus of supply air over

extract air so as to maintain the pressure in the
building at a slightly higher pressure than outside.
It is a good idea to filter outside air so that
atmospheric pollutants are excluded.

(C) BALANCE SYSTEM

A balanced central system uses two fans
(supply and exhaust fans working in
cooperation) and creates a neutral, or
balanced pressure.
One fan exhausts air out of the house, while
the other brings the same amount of outside
air into the house.
These systems are more complex than
supply-only or exhaust-only ventilation
systems, but provide better fresh air
distribution.
They may be two wall-mounted fans of equal
capacity--one for supply and one for exhaust-in two different rooms.
In a balanced system, air is supplied to
Alternatively, they may be ducted to supply
air to the common living areas, such as living
rooms and bedrooms, and to exhaust air
from the rooms where pollution is high, such
as the kitchen and bathroom

some rooms and exhausted from others.

An optional heat- or energy-recovery unit
transfers heat or humidity from one air
stream to the other. Spot exhaust is
included where necessary.

(C) BALANCE SYSTEM (BENEFITS)

Balanced ventilation systems can provide
many benefits including:
Improved indoor air quality
Improved comfort
Improved health
Lower utility bills
Improved resale position

Balance System (benefits)

Improved indoor air quality. Balanced ventilation systems supply fresh air to the living
and sleeping areas of homes while exhausting stale air at an
equal rate from the bathrooms. This proactive approach to
ventilation can result in improved indoor air quality.

Improved comfort.

ENERGY STAR labeled homes with tight construction and

balanced ventilation systems can have fewer drafts and a
constant supply of outdoor air resulting in improved comfort.

Stale air can cause health problems. It can be responsible

for symptoms such as headaches, drowsiness, and
respiratory problems. These symptoms are more common in
homes with poor ventilation and moisture control.
Continuously providing fresh air can result in the improved
health and well being of the occupants.

Lower utility bills.

Less energy is consumed to operate ventilation systems

than to heat and cool excessive amounts of outdoor air that
infiltrates leaky homes. Additional savings are captured
when these systems are equipped with either a sensible or
total heat exchanger. This can result in lower utility bills,
making homes less expensive to operate.

Improved resale position.

ENERGY STAR labeled homes with balanced ventilation

systems can provide the many impressive benefits listed
including more comfortable homes with better indoor air
quality and lower utility bills. These benefits can translate
into higher resale value.

Improved health.

TYPICAL INSTALLATION CONFIGURATIONS

SA = Supply air

RA = Return air

OA = Outside air

EA = Exhaust air

(D) PLENUM SYSTEM

Plenum is the space that can
facilitate air circulation for heating
and air conditioning systems, by
providing pathways for either
heated/ conditioned or return
airflows.
Space between the structural
ceiling and the dropped ceiling or
under a raised floor is typically
considered plenum.
Air pressure in plenum is higher
than outside.
For buildings, plenum is an
enclosed space that are not for
human occupancy, but are often
used for heating, ventilating
and/or air conditioning equipment
and airflow, and are for
equipment such as cables, piping,
and luminaries

EQUIPMENT FOR MECHANICAL SYSTEM

The motive power for the distribution of air
in ventilation systems is invariably provided
by electrically driven equipement.
Fan / Blower
Extractor
Air Conditioning

EQUIPMENT FOR MECHANICAL SYSTEM

There are three main types of fan in use for
blowing or extracting wind in or out of the
building :
1. Propeller fans
2. Centrifugal fans
3. Axial flow fans

(i) Propeller fans

Propeller fans are suitable for situations
where no great resistance to airflow has to
be overcome.

A typical fan

The free intake and discharge condition of

ventilation fans situated in wall openings
giving direct in/out and out/in movement
are eminently suited to this type of fan,
which under these conditions can move
large volumes of air economically and with
very low installation costs.
Efficiency 60-65%
Short duct systems can also be served,
provided the resistance of the system is
low.

(II) CENTRIFUGAL FANS

Centrifugal fans can generate high-pressure
rises in the gas stream 760Pa. Accordingly,
they are well-suited for industrial processes
and air pollution control systems. Efficiency
80%, high cost, silence, big size and need
more space.
A centrifugal fan has a fan wheel composed of
a number of fan blades mounted around a
hub. The hub turns on a shaft that passes
through the fan housing. The gas enters from
the side of the fan wheel, turns 90 and
accelerates as it passes over the fan blades.

The term, centrifugal, refers to the trajectory

of the gas stream as it passes out of the fan
housing.

The centrifugal
type generally
supplies more
cfm per
horsepower at
static pressures
over 4.0-4.5
inches of water
and is often
used where low
noise level is
desired

(iii) Axial flow fans

This type of fan is becoming popular.

Use in the ductwork system
Efficiency is high to 75%, simple
installation and appearance neat,
particularly in a line of ducting.

The vane-axial type has a propeller and vanes, and is best for static pressures under 4.0-4.5 inches of water

ADVANTAGES OF GOOD
VENTILATION
1.0 REDUCTION IN HUMIDITY LEVELS
-Dust-mite levels decrease
-Mould disappears
-Fungus disappears
2.0 REMOVES THE CAUSE OF TIREDNESS AND HEADACHES
-High CO levels are replaced with fresh air
-Moist, stuffy air is eliminated
-Poisonous particles emitted by artificial building materials are removed

3.0 ELIMINATES RADON PROBLEMS

-Radon gas will be ventilated away
4.0 REDUCES THE NEED FOR REDECORATION
-Cigarette smoke will not linger
-The amount of pollution in the air decreases
5.0 LOWERS THE HEATING COST
-A damp house is impossible to heat (try heating a wet towel)

EXAMPLE : TURBINE ROOF VENTILATION

The Whirling Turbine Action:

Tornado Turbine Roof

Ventilation

Removes Convicted Heat

Pollution Build-Up
- Improves Air Quality
- Water and Dust Proof
- Improves Productivity
- Removes Heat, Fumes, Steam and Dust

VENTILATION RATE CONVERSIONS

1. 1000 litres
2. 1 litre / sec
3. 1 litre/ sec

=
=
=

1 m3
3600 litres/ hour
3.6 m3/ hour

The volume of fresh air (make up air) required for proper ventilation is determined of the size and use of the space.

SI UNIT FOR VENTILATION

Unit used to determine a Ventilation in a building:
1. Air Change per Hour (ACH)
2. Volumetric flow rate (m3/sec)
3. Mass flow rate (kg/s)

 ACH (Air Change per Hour)

The volume of fresh air (make up air) required for
proper ventilation
Volumetric Flow Rate
The volume of fluid which passes per unit time
Mass Flow Rate
The mass of a substance which passes per unit
of time

Air Change Rates

Building / Room
(1/h, h-1)
All spaces in general

min 4

Assembly halls

4-6

Attic spaces for cooling

12 - 15

Auditoriums

8 - 15

Bakeries

20 - 30

Banks

4 - 10

Barber Shops

6 - 10

Bars

20 - 30

Beauty Shops

6 - 10

Boiler rooms

15 - 20

FRESH AIR SUPPLY (Q)

The fresh air supply (Q) to a room can be
calculated as

Q=nV

(1)

where

Q = fresh air supply (ft3/h, m3/h)

n = air change rate (h-1)
V = volume of room (ft3, m3)

EXAMPLE 1

Find the fresh air supply to a public library with

volume 1000 m3 and a ventilation rate of 4 air
changes/hour
Q= nV
Q = 4(1000)
= 4000 m3/h
= 4000 /3600
= 1.11 m3/s

QUESTION 1
A room 15m x 7m x 2.8m high is to have a ventilation
rate of have a ventilation rate of 11 air changes/ hour.
Calculate fresh air entering the room through ductwork

Air enters an office through a 250mm x

200mm duct at a velocity of 5m/s.
The room dimensions are 5m x 3m x 3m.
Calculate the room air change rate.

QUESTION 2
Air enters an office through a 250mm x 200mm duct at a
velocity of 5m/s. The room dimensions are 5m x 3m x 3m.
Calculate the room air change rate.

Solution:
Q = nV ---------- (1)
Where n = ? ; V = 5 x 3 x 3 = 45m3
A = Q/v --------------- (2)
Where A = cross area of ducting, 0.25 x 0.2 = 0.05m2
V = velocity of air = 5 m/s
0.05 = Q/5
Q = 0.25 m3/s
= Therefore , equation(1)

0.25m3/s = n(45)

= Therefore , equation 2, Q obtain = 0.25 m3/s

Equation (1), Q = nV
0.25 m3/s = n(45 m3)
n
= 0.25/45
= 0.00556 x 3600
= 20.016 per hour

EXERCISE

A room 15m x 7m x 2.8m high has a ventilation rate of 11 air

changes per hour. Air enters from a duct at a velocity of 8.5
m/s. Calculate the air volume ow rate to the room and the
dimensions of the square duct.

Answer
The air ow rate is given by:
Q = (N air changes/hour) (Vm3/air change) (1h/3600s)
where room volume Vm3 = 1 air change. Hence
Q = (NV/3600) m/s
= (11 15 7 2.8) / (3600) m3/s
= 0.9 m3/s
Also, Q
=AxV
Q m3/s = duct cross-sectional area A m2 air velocity V m/s
Therefore
A = Q/V = (0.9/8.5) m2 = 0.106 m2

If the duct size is 0.106 = 0.325m

A = 0.325 m x 0.325

EXERCISE
A retail shop 22.0m x 6.5m x 3.5m has 7.5 air changes/hour from
air supplied through a duct where it flows at a velocity of 9.5 m/s.
Calculate the air volume ow rate to the room and the dimensions
of the square duct.

The Male Toilet and Female Toilet should each have separate extract
ventilation systems to avoid cross-talk and spread of smoke within
the ductwork system.

For the purposes of this exercise use a value of 8 AC/h.

MALE TOILET
The volume of the Male Toilet is:

4.5 x 3.0 x 2.7 m = 36.45 m3

The ventilation rate in m3/h is:

Ventilation Rate (m3/h)

(ac/h)

Room volume (m3) x air change rate

Ventilation Rate (m3/h )

36.45 m3

291.6 m3/h. Divide by 3600

The ventilation rate is

= 0.081 m3/s.

8 AC/h

A simple method of duct sizing would be:

flow rate / air velocity.

Duct area = volume

An appropriate maximum air velocity for a toilet is 4 m/s

Therefore duct area , A

0.081 / 4 =

If a square duct is used then the duct size is:

= 0.142 m x 0.142 m

0.02025 m2.
( 0.02025 )0.5

The nearest standard size is 0.150 m x 0.150 m or, 150mm x 150mm.

The drawing below shows the ductwork layout for the Toilets.