Ventilation

• Ventilation is the process by which fresh air is introduced and used air is removed from an
occupied space.

 Function of ventilation
1. Supply of fresh air
2. Convective cooling
3. Physiological cooling

1. Supply of fresh air

• The main function of ventilation is the supply of fresh air.
• . Apart from providing the needed oxygen for survival or removal of odors, the supply of fresh air produces
a sensation of comfort.
• The rate of fresh air supply depends on:
a. The type of occupancy
b. The number and activity of the occupants.
• Minimum rate of supply of fresh air under normal sedentary condition is 0.45 m3/min/person.
• The recommended air change varies between 3-12 per hour in a residential building.( the lower value is
applicable to living and bed rooms and higher value to kitchens.).
• Grilles or air bricks built into a wall or may be incorporated with windows can be used as permanent
ventilators.
2. Convective cooling
• It is a type of passive cooling system.
• If the outdoor air temperature is lower than inner temperature, the exchange of indoor air with fresh
outdoor air can provide cooling effect: This system is called convective cooling.
• This system is more practical in moderate or cold climates when the internal heat gain (Qi) is causing a
temperature increase.
• In warm climates, when the internal heat gain (Qi) or solar heat gain through windows (Qs) would raise
the indoor temperature even higher than outdoor air temperature.

3.Physiological cooling
• The movement of air past the skin surface accelerates heat dissipation in two ways:
a) Increasing convective heat loss
b) Accelerating evaporation
• Cooling by air movement is most effective, when there are other forms of heat dissipation is not possible.
(When the air is as warm as the skin and the surrounding surfaces are also at a similar temperature.)

 System of Ventilation
There are mainly two systems
1. Natural ventilation
2. Mechanical ventilation
1.Natural ventilation
• Air motion caused by temperature or pressure difference occurring in nature is termed as natural
ventilation.
• Pressure difference between inside and outside of the building is the main factor of air movement.
• The pressure difference is caused by:
a. Wind effect
b. Stack effect
c. Combination of both wind and stack effect.

a. Wind effect
• Wind effect is the air flow due to wind force.
• Here, air enters through openings in the windward walls, and leaves through openings in the leeward
walls.
• Air hits the windward side of the building and creates a positive pressure (+).
• At the same time air is sucked away from the leeward side thus creating a negative pressure (-).
• The wind pressure on building surfaces depend on following factors:
i. Wind speed and wind direction relative to building
ii.The location and surrounding environment of the building
iii.Shape of the building.
b. Stack effect
• The stack effect can exhaust air from a building by the action of natural convection.
• Stack effect'relies on thermal forces, set up by density difference (caused by temperature differences)
between the indoor and outdoor air.
• It can occur through an open window (when the air is still): the warmer and lighter indoor air will flow out
at the top and coller, denser outdoor air will flowin at the bottom.
• Special provision can be made for stack effect in the form ofventilating
shaft(chimney shaft).
• The higher the shaft,the larger the cross sectional area and greater the motive
force,therefore,the more air will be moved.
Advantage:
It doesn't depend on wind.
Disadvantage:
It is a very weak force and cannot move air quickly.
Factors which affect indoor air flow
1. Orientation
2. External features
3. Cross ventilation
4. Position of opening
5. Size of openings.
6. Control of openings

1.Orientation
• The greatest pressure on the windward side of a building is generated when the elevation is at right angles
to the wind direction.
• A wind incidence at 45° would increase the average indoor velocity and would provide better distribution
of indoor air moveiment.
2.External features.
• The building should not be placed in wind shadows.External features of the building itself can strongly
affects the pressure build up.
• Any extension of the elevation area facing the wind will increase the pressure build up.

3.Cross ventilation
In the absence of an outlet opening or with a full partition there can be no effective air movement through a
building.
4.Position of openings
• The air movement must be directed at the body surface.
• In building, the air movement must be ensured through the space mostly used by the occupants: through
the living zone.
• If the openings at the inlet and outlet side are at a high level, the air flow wiIl take place near the ceiling
and not in the living zone.
• The magnitude of pressure build- up in the front of the solid areas of the elevation depends on the size
and the position of the openings.
• A larger solid surface creates a larger pressure build-up and this pushes the air stream in an opposite
direction both in plan and section.
• In a two story building the air flow on the ground floor may be satisfactory, but on the upper floor it may
be directed against the ceiling.
• One possible remedy is an increase roof parapet wall.
5.Size of openings
• With a given elevation area,
A given total wind force = pressure x area
• The largest air velocity will be obtained through a small inlet opening with a large outlet Funnel effect.

• When the inlet opening is large, the air velocity will be less,but the total rate of air flow (volume of air
passing in unit time) will be higher.
• When the wind direction is not constant, or when air flow through the whole space is required, a large
inlet opening will be preferable.
6.Control of openings
Sashes,canopies,louvers and other elements controlling the openings, also influence the indoor airflow
pattern.

• When the inlet opening is large, the air velocity will be less,but the total rate of air flow (volume of air
passing in unit time) will be higher.
• When the wind direction is not constant, or when air flow through the whole space is required, a large
inlet opening will be preferable.
SOL-AIR-TEMPERATURE
• The temperature measured due to heating effect of radiation incident on a building with the effect of
warm air is sol-air-temperature.
• A tempcrature is found, which would create the same thermal effect as the incident radiation and this
value is added to the air temperature.
Where,Ts-Sol-air-temperature
To-Outside temperature
I-radiation intensity
a-absorbance of the surface
fo-Surface conductance(outside)

• It is necessary to point out that whilst in a cold climate a lesser value of fo would help reducing the heat
loss, in a warm climate a greater value of fo is desirable to reduce solar overheating.
• The reason is that the incident radiation increases the surface temperature far above the air temperature.
• Thus, some heat is dissipated to the out-door air immediately.
• Greater the value of fo value,the more heat is dissipated before it can be conducted away by the wall
material.