Energy efficiency of air handling unit with heat recovery for passive house

Presenters: Sebastian Dorhoi, phd. Student

Content: 1. Introduction; 2. Hypothesis; 3. Passive house installation; 4. Measured values and graphics; 5. Conclusions

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1.Introduction
To reduce energy consumption of houses due ventilation the energy needed to heat up the infiltrate air and the fresh air needed for the occupants must be reduced. By improving the house tightness the infiltrated air will be reduce, but the house wont breathe. For this reason a mechanical ventilation is needed but also to assure the minimum fresh air quantity for the occupants (30 m3/h/person). By using a ventilation system with heat recovery the introduced fresh air will be preheated by the exhaust air with a percent from 70% till 90%. In the calculation of the heat recovery efficiency of the system it wasnt considered the heat losses from the indoor ducts.
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The energy recovered by the ventilation system was provided

by: the soil heat exchanger (45 meter duct buried in the soil for fresh air intake) the cross flow heat exchanger of the air handling unit (AHU) The total heat recovery efficiency of the heat recovery system can be determined with the relation:
_ TOTAL 1 (1 n _ HREC ) (1 _ PIPE )

where: _TOTAL Total heat recovery efficiency of the heat recovery system _HREC Efficiency of heat recovery of the cross flow heat exchanger from the AHU _PIPE Efficiency of heat recovery of the soil heat exchanger
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2.Hypothesis
The duplex-house is situated in Timioara county, with ouside temperature of -15C in winter time (Standard SR 1907/1-97) and 32C for summer time (Standard SR 6648/2-82) . In reality the summer temperature is higer, till 35C. In the paper the period studied is February month (winter time), and all the air temperatures which regards the ventilation were measured. The soil temperature was aproximated to 10C. For the future also the soil temperature will be measured at the level of the soil heat-exchanger pipe. Only one appartment from the duplex house was studied, having a surface of 140 m2 and a volume of 350 m3, resulting an airflow of 210 m3/h. The air flow from of the AHU was 200 m3/h resulting 0,6 h-1.
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House Plans

Fig. 1 - House Plans

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Fig. 2 - View of the Duplex House

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3.Passive house installation

The heating and cooling is provided by an air-water heat pump, solar energy with solar panels and electric heater. The heating agent is delivered to the fan coils, static radiators and the air handling unit (AHU) which also unit provides the necessary air flow for ventilation. On the supply duct is mounted a coil which heats up the air with heating agent. The heating energy obtained from the heat pump, solar energy and electrical heater is stored in the buffer tank and from here via a circulation pump P1 is delivered to the heating sources (fan coils, coils, radiators). Another option is to provide the heating energy directly from the heat pump to the consumers. For cooling the buffer tank is by passed, the agent going directly to the fan coils. The domestic hot water is prepared with the boiler, which has three sources of heating: heat pump, solar energy and also electrical heater (STB).
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SOLAR COLECTOR

OUTDOOR HEAT-PUMP

INDOOR HEAT-PUMP
T_EXHAUST [C]

AHU
T_AHU [C]

FG
T_EXT [C] T_SOILREC [C]

T_INT [C]

SOIL SOIL_REC FAN COIL

HYDRAULIC SOLAR

HEATING COIL
M

BUFFER TANK
STB

T_SUPPLY _HC [C]

T_INT [C]

STATIC RADIATOR ROOM

LEGEND: H+AC+SANITARY: DOMESTIC HOT WATER HEATING RETURN VENTILATION: SUPPLY AIR EXPELLED AIR EXTRACT AIR FRESH AIR COLD WATER SOLAR FLOW HEATING FLOW SOLAR RETURN FREON FLOW LIQUID FREON RETURN GAS

SUPPLY AIR AFTER HEATING COIL

Fig. 3 HVAC+ SANITARY SCHEME

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Left view
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Right view
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Fig. 4 Installation pictures

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Fig. 5 Ventilation zones Ground floor

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Fig. 6 Ventilation zones First floor

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The working principle of the system is described below: When the ambient sensor value is below the set indoor temperature, it starts checks if the temperature from the buffer is enough and starts pump P1. If the temperature from the buffer is not enough starts the electrical heater after the heat pump. The air handling unit will try to heat up the space with the duct heating coil, and if the temperature cannot be reached during a required period, the fan coil ventilators will also start and will work till the desired inside temperature is obtained. In the freezing period the condenser from the heat pump could freeze. During the defrosting process the heat pump reverse his circuits and take out heat form the buffer. In this period the heating is provided by the buffer and the electrical heater mounted inside it. The solar energy is provided by an vacuum tube collector mounted on the terrace.
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4.Measured values and graphics

The measured values during the period were: Outside temperature: T_EXT, [C]; Temperature after the soil heat exchanger: T_SOILREC, [C]; Temperature after cross flow heat exchanger (AHU): T_HREC, [C]; Temperature after duct heating coil: T_SUPPLY_HC, [C]; Indoor air temperature: T_INT, [C]; Exhaust temperature: T_EXHAUST, [C]; Electrical power consumption (Electric Heater, AHU): P_EL, P_AHU, [W]. The measurement were made for February month 2012, containing 29 days. The measurements were made after every minute, but in the tables and diagrams were represented from hour to hour.
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INDOOR

T_EXHAUST [C]

OUTDOOR

T_INT [C] T_SOILREC [C] T_HREC [C]

AHU
HEATING COIL

FRESH AIR

T_EXT [C]

T_SUPPLY _HC [C]

T_INT [C]

SOIL_REC

SOIL

LEGEND: SUPPLY AIR EXTRACT AIR FRESH AIR ROOM

EXPELLED AIR SUPPLY AIR AFTER HEATING COIL

Fig. 7 VENTILATION SCHEME

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From the measured data could be calculated the followings: Efficiency of heat recovery of the cross flow heat exchanger from the AHU, [%]; Efficiency of heat recovery of the soil heat exchanger , [%]; Total heat recovery efficiency of the heat recovery system, [-]; Reduction of heating of supply air due cross flow heat exchanger, [%] ; Recovered heat by the soil heat exchanger, [W]; Recovered heat by the cross flow heat exchanger of AHU, [W]; Total recovered heat, [W]; The measured values are centralized in table 1 and the calculated in table 2. In figure 8 and 9 are presented the measured values of temperatures and power consumption. In figures 10 and 11 the calculated values from the measured values which took place on the first day of February.
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Table 1 Measured values

Time h 00:00 02:00 04:00 06:00 08:00 10:00 12:00 14:00 16:00 18:00 20:00 22:00 00:00 T_EXT [C] -7 -8,19 -8,25 -8,75 -9,25 -5,75 -2,38 -0,85 -1,73 -4,19 -7,37 -9 -10,65 T_SOILREC [C] 7,69 7,5 7,56 7,58 7,62 7,78 7,94 8,06 8,12 8,06 7,91 7,55 7,38 T_HREC [C] 17,59 17,39 17,74 18 18,25 18,87 19,12 19,37 19,56 19,44 19,06 18,06 17,5 T_SUPPLY_HC [C] 19,4 22,24 41,04 47,13 49,66 51,19 32,18 22,51 24,47 44,99 48,67 20,31 19,42 T_INT [C] 23,31 23,12 23,62 24,12 24,43 25,36 25,75 26,06 26,38 26,22 25,69 24,28 23,4 T_EXHAUST [C] 14,49 14,31 14,5 14,69 14,81 15,25 15,5 15,71 15,87 15,73 15,44 14,73 14,31 Q_ELE_TOTAL [W] 180 180 3420 3300 3240 3210 210 210 210 3210 3120 180 180 Q_EL_AHU [W] 180 180 180 180 180 180 210 210 210 180 180 180 180

Average

-6

18

34

25

15

1656

185

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55 50 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 -5 -10 -15

Temperature [C]

00:00

01:00

02:00

03:00

04:00

05:00

06:00

07:00

08:00

09:00

10:00

11:00

12:00

13:00

14:00

15:00

16:00

17:00

18:00

19:00

20:00

21:00

22:00

23:00
23:00

Time [h]
T_EXT T_SOILREC T_HREC T_SUPPLY_HC T_INT T_EXHAUST

Fig. 8 Distribution of air temperature for the ventilation system

Electric consumption, [W]
4000 3500 3000 2500 2000 1500 1000 500 0

00:00

01:00

02:00

03:00

04:00

05:00

06:00

07:00

08:00

09:00

10:00

11:00

12:00

13:00

14:00

15:00

16:00

17:00

18:00

19:00

20:00

21:00

22:00

Time [h]
Q_TOTAL_ELECTRIC
Q_AHU

Fig. 9 Electrical consumption

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00:00

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Table 2 Calculated values

Time h _HREC [%] _ENER [%] ts _PIPE [%] _Total [-] Q_HREC [W] Q_SOILREC [W] O_TOTAL [W]

00:00
02:00 04:00 06:00 08:00 10:00 12:00 14:00 16:00 18:00 20:00 22:00 00:00

81,13
81,70 81,55 81,38 81,65 79,14 76,43 75,14 75,74 77,70 79,95 81,31 82,67

56,47
56,40 56,79 57,01 57,23 57,51 57,55 57,50 57,56 57,76 57,65 57,08 56,74

10
10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10

86,41
86,26 86,63 87,09 87,64 85,90 83,36 82,12 83,97 86,33 87,97 87,11 87,31

97,44
97,48 97,53 97,60 97,73 97,06 96,08 95,55 96,11 96,95 97,59 97,59 97,80

663
663 682 698 712 743 749 758 766 762 747 704 678

984
1051 1059 1094 1130 907 691 597 660 821 1024 1109 1208

1648
1714 1741 1792 1843 1650 1441 1355 1426 1583 1771 1813 1886

Average 03-May-12

80

57

10

86

97

719

934

1653 19/27

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Recovered Heat, [W]
40 50 60

Efficiency, [%]
100 70 80 90

1600 1400 1200

2000 1800

1000 800 600 400

00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 08:00 09:00
_ENER _HREC

200 0

00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 08:00 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00
Q_TOTAL Q_HREC

10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00

_PIPE

Time [h]

Time [h]

Fig. 10 System efficiency

Q_SOILREC

14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00
_TOTAL

Fig. 11 Recovered heat

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For the whole month the measured and calculated values were centralized for every day, by making the arithmetic average per day, showed in table 3 and 4. The final results were obtained by making also the arithmetic average per month. The average values were made for 29 days. By using heating recovery heat exchangers the recovered energy with ventilation system was significant for the whole month, reducing the period of function of the heat pump or the electrical heater. During the one month measurements the indoor air temperature didnt vary , the mean temperature was 23 C.

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Table 3 Measured values

Time h 0:00 2:00 4:00 6:00 T_EXT [C] -5,91 -6,19 -6,24 -6,70 T_SOILREC [C] 7,74 7,69 7,71 7,71 T_HREC [C] 17,07 17,00 17,09 17,15 T_SUPPLY_HC [C] 29,09 30,55 36,44 37,60 T_INT [C] 23,04 22,94 23,08 23,21 T_EXHAUST [C] 14,37 14,31 14,36 14,41 Q_ELE_TOTAL [W] 1411 1421 2602 2319 Q_EL_AHU [W] 189 181 182 184

8:00
10:00 12:00 14:00 16:00 18:00 20:00

-6,47
-3,03 -0,77 -0,20 -1,28 -3,11 -4,35

7,72
7,79 7,91 8,00 7,99 7,92 7,90

17,12
17,20 17,60 18,07 18,14 17,80 17,66

33,84
30,21 31,19 33,41 33,52 34,81 36,28

23,17
23,17 23,81 24,58 24,73 24,22 24,02

14,39
14,47 14,78 15,10 15,15 14,92 14,80

1928
1256 1406 1794 1924 1824 1869

181
183 188 189 188 188 187

22:00
0:00 Average

-4,89
-3,82 -4

7,74
4,11 8

17,13
10,07 17

25,09
18,34 32

23,16
13,57 24

14,42
8,45 15

1082
1550 1745

186
185 185

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45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 -5 -10

Temperature [C]

0:00

1:00

2:00

3:00

4:00

5:00

6:00

7:00

8:00

9:00

10:00

11:00

12:00

13:00

14:00

15:00

16:00

17:00

18:00

19:00

20:00

21:00

22:00

Time [h]
T_EXT T_SOILREC T_HREC T_SUPPLY_HC T_INT T_EXHAUST

Fig. 12 Distribution of air temperature for the ventilation system

Electric consumption, [W]
3000 2500 2000 1500 1000 500 0

0:00

1:00

2:00

3:00

4:00

5:00

6:00

7:00

8:00

9:00

23:00
23:00 0:00

10:00

11:00

12:00

13:00

14:00

15:00

16:00

17:00

18:00

19:00

20:00

21:00

Time [h]
Q_TOTAL_ELECTRIC
Q_AHU

Fig. 13 Electrical consumption

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22:00

0:00

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Table 4 Calculated values

Time h 0:00 2:00 4:00 6:00 8:00 10:00 12:00 14:00 16:00 18:00 20:00 22:00 0:00 Average _HREC [%] 78,54 78,76 78,78 78,92 78,61 75,97 73,28 72,27 73,44 75,44 76,65 77,64 79,02 77 _ENER [%] 56,64 56,55 56,68 56,73 56,74 56,52 56,74 57,12 57,18 57,04 57,11 56,61 56,55 57 ts [C] 84,49 84,39 84,69 84,99 84,38 77,87 52,19 97,56 72,83 80,54 83,12 83,10 83,46 10 _PIPE [%] 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 82 _Total [-] 96,51 96,51 96,60 96,68 96,43 93,85 82,60 102,36 91,35 94,69 95,76 95,98 96,33 95 Q_HREC [W] 625 624 628 633 630 630 649 675 680 662 654 629 620 643 Q_SOILREC [W] 915 930 935 966 950 725 581 549 621 739 820 846 930 797 O_TOTAL [W] 1540 1554 1563 1598 1580 1355 1231 1224 1301 1401 1474 1476 1551 1440

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03-May-12
Recovered Heat, [W]
1000 1200 1400 1600 1800 200
40 50 60 70

Efficiency, [%]
100 80 90

400

600

800

0:00
00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 08:00 09:00
_ENER

1:00 2:00 3:00 4:00 5:00 6:00 7:00 8:00 9:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00
Q_HREC

_HREC

10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00

_PIPE

Time [h]

Time [h]

Fig. 14 System efficiency

Q_SOILREC Q_TOTAL

14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00
_TOTAL

Fig. 15 Recovered heat

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5.Conclusions

The indoor air temperature was maintained at 23 C; In the measured case the temperature after the soil heat exchanger duct was upon 3C, assuring the cross flow heat exchanger to reach his efficiency from 70 90 [%]; From the diagram 12 and 15 it can be observed the variation of the recovered heating energy recovery with the outdoor temperature for the soil heat exchanger, when the outdoor temperature increases the recovered heating energy decrease and vice versa. Because the ventilation system didnt use the other fresh air intake for the cold season in figure 14 can be observed the variation of efficiency for the soil heat exchanger, the energy recovery and the total system efficiency. In this case the outside temperature value was upon the soil temperature, and the fresh air was cooled down.

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THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION

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