NY-87-14-4 -- Predicting a Time-Varying Flow Rate Using the Constant Concentration and Decay Technique PDF

This study deals with the accuracy of different tracer gas techniques for predicting the mean flow rate of a time-varying airflow rate, as occurs in naturally ventilated houses. A theoretical analysis of the accuracy is first presented. Experiments were conducted in a test house ventilated by natural ventilation. The methods explored were the constant concentration method and the decay method. The airflow rate in the duct connected to the house was continously recorded by the constant tracer gas flow technique. The oscillations in flow rates that occurred were of a high frequency nature, which should not affect the accuracy. Incomplete mixing of both tracer gas and air seems to be the greatest source of error, even in cases with a time-varying ventilation airflow rate.

Units: SI