DE-93-21-3 -- Variable-Air-Volume Retrofit of an Industrial Research Laboratory PDF

A laboratory research facility uses tremendous air flow to ensure that fumes are safely exhausted out of the lab environment, which usually results in high energy use and steep utility bills. As we enter the decade of the '90s, energy conservation and lower operating costs in these facilities are often perceived as a trade-off with concerns for proper indoor air quality. Presents a case study of efforts to incorporate modern technology and knowledge to both improve ventilation and reduce energy consumption at a large existing industrial research facility located in the midwestern United States. Several retrofit options were considered and compared utilising a Kepner-Tregoe decision-making methodology. Based on this comparison, variable-air-volume conversion projects have been initiated in two buildings on the campus. A description of the study and analysis leading to the design (including annual energy cost and savings for the conversion to VAV) as well as a discussion of some pertinent design details are presented.

KEYWORDS: variable volume air conditioning, modernising, industrial, research, laboratories, energy consumption, energy conservation, case studies, ventilation, USA, comparing, costs, economics, designing, air quality, exhaust hoods, air conditioning, constant volume air conditioning.