What is the Function of ventilation system in a building?

- Helping to moderate internal temperatures

- Helping to moderate internal humidity
- Provisioning of outside air for breathing within the building
- Replenishing oxygen
- Reduce the accumulation of moisture, odours, bacteria, dust, carbon dioxide, smoke
and other contaminants that can build up during occupied periods
- Creating air movement which improves the comfort of occupants.
Type of Ventilation are the different types of Ventilation?

1)Natural Ventilation
Driven by pressure differences between one part of building and another, or pressure
differences between inside and outside.
2) Mechanical Ventilation
Driven by fans or other mechanical plant. Mechanical ventilation systems circulate fresh air using ducts
and fans. Without mechanical ventilation moisture, odors and other pollutants can build up inside a
building. Besides ensuring a better indoor air quality for the building, the other advantage of mechanical
ventilation is to have more control over the intake and outtake of fresh air in an appropriate location
and improving the comfort for the user of the building through filtration, dehumidification and also
conditioning of incoming air.

However, mixed mode, hybrid or assisted ventilation systems involve natural

ventilation supplemented by mechanical systems.
What are theFunctions of mechanical ventilation system?
a) Filtration
Mechanical ventilation systems help to get rid of the polluted stale air containing water
vapor, carbon dioxide, airborne chemicals and other pollutants by expel the internal air
from a space.
b) Dehumidification
Mechanical ventilation systems constantly draw in outside air which presumably
contains fewer pollutants and less water vapor.
c) Conditioning of incoming air
Mechanical ventilation systems distribute/circulate the outside air throughout the
house by using the devices to create pressure difference.

Comparison of mechanical ventilation system to natural ventilation system

NATURAL VENTILATION MECHANICAL VENTILATION

Difficulty in controlling airflow path Airflow path can be controlled
Inconsistent airflow Consistent airflow
Maintenance not needed Maintenance needed
Filtration systems cannot be installed Filtration systems can be installed
Does not require electricity to operate Require electricity to operate
Fresh air is provided naturally into the space Fresh air + positive ventilation is provided
all the time

Relies on natural sources such as wind and Use of mechanical devices such as
ductwork and fans
temperature
What are the advantages and significances of mechanical ventilation system?
a) Better Indoor Air Quality
Mechanical ventilation systems can be retrofitted to almost every house and a large
number of commercial premises to promote fresh air into spaces and then remove
any latent heat.
b) More Control
Mechanical ventilation systems are considered to be reliable in delivering the
designed flow rate, regardless of the impacts of variable wind and ambient
temperate. As mechanical ventilation can be integrated easily into air-conditioning,
the indoor air temperature and humidity can also be controlled.
c) Expel of pollutant
Filtration systems can be installed in mechanical ventilation so that harmful
microorganisms, particulates, gases, odors and vapors can be removed.
d) Reduce noise and air pollution
Mechanical ventilation is the only option when the building is located in noisy areas
or in the areas where the local air quality is poor, and therefore the use of openable
windows for natural ventilation is not a practical solution.
e) Climatic independence
The ability to provide a comfortable and well-ventilated indoor environment
regardless of exterior climatic conditions.
f) Architectural flexibility
Mechanical Systems allow for greater freedom of architectural expression as the
physical constraints of passive systems are relieved.
What are the applications of mechanical ventilation?
Mechanical ventilation systems are necessary when:
a) The building is too deep to ventilate from the perimeter.
b) Local air quality is poor, for example if a building is next to a busy road.
c) Local noise levels mean that windows cannot be opened.
d) The local urban structure is very dense and shelters the building from the wind.
e) Privacy or security requirements prevent windows from being opened.
f) Internal partitions block air paths
g) The density of occupation, equipment, lightning and so on creates very high heat
loads or high levels of contaminants.
What are the types of mechanical ventilation systems?
There are variety of mechanical ventilation systems available to select from, based on
local climate and the building’s heating and cooling system. The typical systems are
described below:
a) Supply Ventilation System
Supply ventilation systems work by pressurization, they bring outside air into
the space, causing an equal amount of inside air to exit the building. Most supply
ventilation system uses the existing ductwork of the central heating and cooling
systems, and their blowers. They only require a small supply duct connecting the air
handler to the outdoors, to bring in the outside air. This system can be found in use in spaces
like living areas, public malls and interior rooms of a building.
b) Exhaust Ventilation System
Exhaust ventilation systems work by depressurizing the building. By reducing
the inside air pressure below the outdoor air pressure, they extract indoor air
from a house while make-up air infiltrates through leaks the building shell and
though intentional, passive vents. In warm climates or humid summers,
depressurization can draw moist air into building wall cavities, where it may
condense and cause moisture damage. This system is usually installed at the kitchen, internal
toilet and basement. The devices usually used by this system including exhaust fan, surface
mounted fan, remote mounted in line fan, and ventilator.
c) Balanced / Combined Ventilation System
Combined ventilation systems rely on natural driving forces to provide the
desired flow rate. It uses mechanical ventilation when the natural ventilation flow
rate is too low. Hence, causing the pressure level in the internal space to remain at
neutral.
A combined ventilation system usually has two fans and two duct systems. It
facilitates good distribution of fresh air by placing supply and exhaust vents in
appropriate places. Like both supply and exhaust systems, combined ventilation
systems do not temper or remove moisture from the air before it enters the house.
The combined ventilation system is not affected by the outdoor weather and is
known as a more efficient ventilation system.
One positive side about this system is it has a controlled air flow rates, inlet air can
also be filters before being directed to the interior spaces.
It’s often found in area that is hardly accessible where natural ventilation is not
easily promoted and applied. For example, the basement, theatres and crawl spaces.

Exhaust (Toilet)ventilation system

Exhaust systems are necessary in a typical commercial building so as to remove heat and
humidity and circulate cool air, as to maintain the indoor air quality, ensuring thermal
comfort for the people.
Water-closets, toilets, lavatories, bathrooms, latrines, urinals or similar rooms or
enclosures used for ablutions which are situated in the internal portions of the building and in
respect of which no such external walls are present, shall be provided with mechanical
ventilation or air-conditioning having a minimum of fresh air change at the rate of 30 cubic
metre per hour per person or ten air changes per hour, whichever is the lower.
What are Air Changes per Hour?
Air changes per hour (ACPH) is a measurement of air volume that is added to (or removed
from) a room divided by the total volume of the room. Put simply, it measures how many times
the room air is replaced. Higher ACPH values mean better ventilation. The formula is as follows:
ACPH = Q / Vol
Whereby:
 Q = Volumetric flow rate of air in cubic metres per hour (m³/h)
 Vol = Space volume L × W × H in cubic metres (m³)
Recommended Air Changes per Hour & Outside Air Stream per Person

When specifying a fan or ventilation system, one of the

most important considerations is the number of air changes per hour (also known as air change
rate) needed to sufficiently ventilate the room. It is equally crucial to consider the volume of
outside air (fresh supply air) that the room requires. This can be calculated based on the
number of people typically living or working in the space. These requirements can depend on a
number of factors but the nature of the room’s usage is a key place to start.

How to Calculate Fresh Air Requirements

To find the volume of outside air needed to properly ventilate a space, you’ll need to have an
estimate of the typical number of people occupying it and know what the space will be used
for. Then, simply use the table below to multiply the number of people by the required metres
cubed per hour per person to determine the required fresh air flow.

TOILET VENTILATION CALCULATION

Toilet ventilation has its own importance for odor control and fresh air provision. When
considering mechanical ventilation for a toilet exhaust, the most important task will be the
following.
  Find out the Exhaust air flow rate.
 Exhaust air duct size (if applicable).
 Static pressure calculation for duct and duct fittings.
 Exhaust air fan capacity.
 Fresh air intake flow rate.
 Door undercut (or) door grill (or) fresh air duct.
Ventilating fans should be located near the source of moisture and indoor air pollutants in
bathrooms, laundry rooms, kitchens, hobby rooms and smoking rooms.
1. Determine the Application
The first step when sizing for a ventilating fan is to determine the application. Decide whether
you are sizing for intermittent or continuous ventilation. If intermittent, determine which
application i.e. bathroom, kitchen or other. Use the following industry recommendations to
determine Air Changes per Hour (ACH) for your specific application
Intermittent (Spot) Ventilation:
The Home Ventilating Institute (HVI) recommends the following Air Changes per Hour (ACH):
I. Bathrooms - 8 ACH
II. Kitchens - 15 ACH
III. Other Rooms - 6 ACH
2. Calculate the Area Being Ventilated
The second step is to calculate the area being ventilated. Calculate square feet or cubic feet
depending on which sizing method you choose. Both methods, the Sizing Chart Method and the

Performance Curve Method, follow industry standards and will give you similar outcomes. The
Sizing Chart Method is easier. The Performance Curve Method is often preferred by engineers.
Example:
Sizing for an 8 ft x 12 ft x 8 ft ceiling bathroom using 12-foot long, 4 inch diameter aluminum
flex duct, one elbow, one wall cap.
Step 1: Airflow (CFM) Calculation
First calculate area in cubic feet (length x width x ceiling height). Then divide this number by 60
to get the Cubic Feet per Minute (CFM) required to replenish the entire air volume in one hour.
Next, multiply the CFM value by the appropriate ACH value for the given application.
1a. 8 ft x 12 ft x 8 ft = 768 cubic feet
1b. 768/60 = 12.8 CFM value
1c. 12.8 x 8 ACH = 102 CFM for intermittent bathroom ventilation
Step 2. Static Pressure (Resistance) Calculation
The Static Pressure calculation provides EDL and adjusts for airflow resistance caused by duct
material, elbows, and terminations devices.
2a. 12 ft flex aluminium duct x 1.25 = 15 feet EDL
2b. One elbow equals 15 feet EDL
2c. One roof jack equals 30 feet EDL
15 + 15 + 30 = 60 feet total EDL.

3. Measure the Equivalent Duct Length (EDL)

The third step is to measure the Equivalent Duct Length of the planned duct run. This requires a
basic understanding of static pressure caused by a duct run design and its components.

Static Pressure and Duct Run:

A ventilating fan must overcome resistance when pushing air from the inlet, through the duct,
to the outside of the building. This resistance is known as static pressure. The amount of static
pressure depends on the duct length, type of duct, elbows and the roof jack or wall cap.
Equivalent Duct Length (EDL):
Static pressure in a typical duct run is caused by the type of duct material, elbows, exterior wall
cap, etc. The table below shows the standard values for duct components. The EDL chart allows
you to calculate the equivalent straight duct length in order to overcome static pressure caused
by each component in a duct run.

Equivalent Duct Length

Duct Diameter
Duct Smooth Same as measured duct length
Metal
Material Flex 1.25 x duct 1.25 X duct 1.5 X duct 1.5 X duct
Aluminum length length length length
Insulated 1.5 X duct 1.5 X duct 1.75 X duct 1.75 X duct
Flex length length length length
Termina Wall Cap 30 feet 30 feet 40 feet 40 feet
l
Device Roof Jack 30 feet 30 feet 40 feet 40 feet
Elbow Adjustable 15 feet 15 feet 20 feet 20 feet

KITCHEN EXHAUST SYSTEMS

Kitchen exhaust systems are made of a number of interdependent units. Exhaust hoods,
exhaust fans, makeup air units, and packaged rooftop HVAC (Heating Ventilation Air
Conditioning) units all need to operate within defined parameters to complement one another
and to maintain peak performance. An effective exhaust system should get rid of:
 Heat
 particulate matter
 grease laden steam
 cooking vapors
FEATURES OF AN EFFECTIVE KITCHEN VENTILATION SYSTEM
1) Cooking equipment layout: The plan dimension of the canopy is recommended to exceed the
plan area of cooking appliances. Hood must overhang, or extend a horizontal distance of at
least 6 inches beyond the outer edge of the cooking surfaces on all open sides. This distance is
to be measured from the inside lip of the hood. Additional overhang 10 to 12” can be helpful in
improving capture effectiveness for open flame equipment such as char-broilers
2) Height limitations: Canopies should not be so low as to form an obstruction. Hoods are
normally installed at a minimum of 6’6” and a maximum of 7’0” above the floor level in
accordance with code requirements and to allow sufficient headroom for personnel. Tall
equipment may require additional consideration when determining hood installation height.

3)Wall locations - An integral 3-inch air space should be provided to meet NFPA 96 clearance
requirements against limited combustible walls. This area is typically used for utility access for
wiring, gas piping, etc. All seams, joints and penetrations of the hood enclosure shall be welded
and/or liquid tight. Approved construction methods and materials shall be used for sealing
joints and seams.
4) Wall hood V/s Island hood - Island hoods require more exhaust flow rate when compared to
wall hoods. Island canopy hoods are more sensitive to makeup air supply and cross drafts.
5) Hood Construction -  The hood(s) exterior shall be constructed of a minimum of 18 gauge
galvanized steel, stainless steel, or copper in compliance with the Uniform Mechanical Code.
The hood(s) shall be constructed using the standing seam method for optimum strength. 
Canopy hoods should be flashed to the ceiling and adjacent walls. The flashing shall be
constructed of the same material and thickness as the hood.  Pop rivets, metal screws, or
other similar exposed fasteners shall not be used on the internal surfaces of a hood.  Every
hood shall be securely fastened in place by noncombustible supports.
6) Cross Drafts- Cross drafts have a detrimental effect on all hood/appliance combinations.
Cross-drafts adversely affect island canopy hoods more than wall mounted canopy hoods.
7) Side Panels and Overhang - Side (or end) panels permit a reduced exhaust rate in most cases,
as they direct the replacement airflow to the front of the equipment. They are a relatively
inexpensive way to improve capture and containment and reduce the total exhaust rate. In
fact, one of the greatest benefits of end panels is to mitigate the negative effect of cross drafts.
8) Variable Speed Fans and Idle Conditions- Appliances idle much of the day. Using two-speed
or variable exhaust flow rates during idling would minimize operating costs. NFPA 96 (Standard
for Ventilation Control and Fire Protection of Commercial Cooking Operations) was recently
amended to allow minimum exhaust duct velocity as low as 500 fpm (at the exhaust collar and
ductwork). Typical design values of 1500 to 1800 fpm at the exhaust collar are still
recommended for normal cooking conditions. This code change facilitates the application of
variable speed systems.
Air Changes Per Hour (ACH) Table
This table provides suggested air changes per hour (ACH) under normal conditions based on our
extensive experience.
Assembly rooms 4 - 8 Hairdressing salons 10 - 15
Bakeries 20 - 30 Hospitals - sterilizing 15 - 25
Banks/Building Societies 4 – 8 Hospitals - wards 6 - 8
Bathrooms 6 - 10 Kitchens - domestic 15 - 20
Bedrooms 2 - 4 Kitchens # - commercial 30minimum
Billiard Rooms * 6 - 8 Laboratories 6 - 15
Boiler Rooms 15 – 30 Launderettes/Laundromats 10 - 15
Cafes and coffee bars 10 - 12 Laundries 10 - 30
Canteens 8 - 12 Lavatories 6 - 15
Cellars 3 – 10 Lecture theatres 5 - 8
Changing Rooms Main area 6 - 10 Libraries 3 - 5
Changing Rooms Shower area 15 - 20 Living rooms 3 - 6
Churches 1 – 3 Mushroom houses 6 - 10
Cinemas & theatres * 10 – 15 Offices 6 - 10
Club rooms 12 minimum Paint shops (not cellulose) 10 - 20
Compressor rooms 10 – 20 Photo & X-ray darkrooms 10 - 15
Conference rooms 8 – 12 Public house bars 12 minimum
Dairies 8 - 10 Recording control rooms 15 - 25
Dance halls 12 minimum Recording studios 10 - 12
Dental surgeries 12 - 15 Restaurants 8 - 12
Dye works 20 - 30 Schoolrooms 5 - 7
Electroplating shops 10 - 12 Shops and supermarkets 8 - 15
Engine rooms 15 - 30 Shower baths 15 - 20
Entrance halls & corridors 3 - 5 Stores & warehouses 3 - 6
Factories and workshops 8 – 10 Squash courts 4 minimum
Foundries 15 - 30 Swimming baths 10 - 15
Garages 6 - 8 Toilets 6 - 10
Glasshouses 25 - 60 Utility rooms 15 - 20
Gymnasiums 6 minimum Welding shops 15 – 30

* Increase by 50% where heavy smoking occurs or if the room is underground.

How much ventilation is needed?
The quantity of ventilation required depends on a number of factors, including
the fresh air required for the number of people expected to be in the space, their
activity, their clothing, the types of local heat sources such as lighting, small
appliances and computers, any sources of pollutants in the space, such as copiers,
and sources of humidity such as catering equipment etc.
In industrial premises, it is important to ensure that enough fresh air is
supplied to dilute and remove the dust, fumes or vapor produced. The rate of
ventilation for an area is normally expressed in ‘air changes per hour’ i.e. the
number of times per hour that the entire air volume of the area is changed. It is
important to note that because of mixing in the room, it does not mean that all
the original air is replaced with each air change. The rate selected depends of the
type of room and the activity being undertaken. Typical applications range
between 5 and 15 air changes per hour.
Pantry Ventilation
At home, pantries are often situated right next to the kitchen, often this room has a high
amount of hot, humid air. If the connecting door is leaky or left open over extended periods of
time, warm air from the kitchen will infiltrate the cooler pantry. Water vapor condenses and
creates dew, supporting mold growth. If steam from hot food (microwave or cooked food in the
process of cooling down) condenses, the pantry should be aired and dried additionally
afterwards. In the past the cellar or pantry were the coldest rooms in the house. Modern,
newly-constructed buildings with heat insulation are not designed to have cool spaces though.
Even the cellar is often kept at room temperature.
The solution: Ventilation with heat recovery. Here’s a few tips on what to acquire when looking for
a kitchen pantry.
 It should be warmer than the fridge but much cooler than the kitchen.
 It must be insulated from the surrounding rooms.
 It must be ventilated separately from the heat recovery ventilation system.
 The door requires draught proof sealing on all four edges.
 Within the pantry there should be enclosed drawers / cupboards for the storage of
vegetables so that a higher relatively humidity is created to greatly extend the shelf life
of these.