What to do if there is a lack of oxygen in the house, the air is saturated with unpleasant odors, and the surfaces in the rooms are condensed? Probably, the reason for this is the insufficient level of ventilation of the housing. Eliminate these negative factors allows the installation of air handling units ventilation.
What is a forced ventilation?
Forced or forced ventilation is a device with the help of which air is exchanged in the premises by blowing flows by fans. The work of the latter creates areas of excess pressure, the presence of which contributes to the displacement of exhaust air.
During the operation of the supply ventilation unit, the flow of the working air enters the room in several ways. They pass through networked ducts or penetrate through street entry points. The most effective ventilation scheme is a combination of forced and natural exhaust systems.
Types
Depending on the scale of action, compact air handling units are divided into general and local systems. Consider the features of each of the presented solutions.
Local ventilation provides air exchange not in all rooms, but only in a separate part of the facility. Most often, such decisions are resorted to if it is necessary to clean the space in production shops where a high concentration of harmful substances is observed.
In turn, the general supply ventilation unit allows you to organize the flow of fresh air at the same time in all rooms, without separation of local zones.
Design
The following are the main structural elements of air handling units:
- Fan - provides the movement of a given amount of air into the room.
- Filter - purifies space from dust, carcinogens.
- Silencer - allows you to reduce the overall noise level during the operation of the system.
- Heater - heats the air distributed by the fan in the winter.
- Non-return valve - prevents the outflow of fresh, cleaned and heated air from the premises when the forced ventilation is turned off.
Features of choice
The determining criteria for the extraction of the ventilation unit of the supply plan are the maximum possible pressure in the system and the air pressure that the unit is capable of delivering. An electrical supply unit must also be selected taking into account the operating temperature range, the dimensions of the indoor unit. All the necessary parameters are calculated at the design stage.
Supply unit characteristics
What are the characteristics of the air handling unit? It differs in such parameters:
- Air consumption - the volume of the working medium that the system is capable of pumping for an hour (measured in m 3 / hour).
- Pressure is the resistance level of the air ducts, which the installation must overcome at a given air flow rate.
- Parameters and heat carrier source. As a means responsible for heating the airspace, a heater or hot water flowing through the pipes can act.
- Source of cold supply. Here, the characteristics of the chiller (chiller) or the freon circuit come to the fore.
- Autonomy level - parameters that the installation is capable of supporting automatically.
Useful Tips
The installation of air handling units in the form of a monoblock for general ventilation of rooms requires a serious approach. Therefore, attention should be paid to some important points. So, hot water that comes from central heating cannot be used to increase the temperature of ventilated air. As practice shows, attempts to implement such a plan do not yield positive results. Ventilation inefficiently heats the air in the conductive channels with the onset of frost. System integration negatively affects heating performance.
If the installation of air handling units involves the installation of a refrigeration section, then the air ducts of the forced air supply system are covered with heat-insulating materials. For these purposes, practically any common means with a thickness of at least 40 mm are suitable.
If the installation is supplemented with a water heater, the creation of a double anti-freeze protection is required. It is advisable to install the thermostat behind the heater and the sensor for measuring the temperature of the coolant.
After the installation of the supply units, it is recommended to carry out their periodic inspection and maintenance. The bulk of failures that occur in the operation of such units is the result of untimely cleaning of filters, balancing fans, checking the condition of electrical components and the efficiency of fans.
When planning the scale of the supply unit, it is extremely important to organize the correct movement of air flows. Fresh, cleaned air from the street should enter, first of all, in the living rooms (living room, bedroom, children's room), then move into the corridor and go into the exhaust grilles in the kitchen and in the bathrooms. The development of a well-thought-out scheme by specialists during the installation of the supply unit eliminates the spread of polluted air and unpleasant odors throughout the premises.
Supply unit - price
Currently, the cost of domestic forced-air ventilation units ranges from 1,500 to 3,000 rubles. The installation of the system by professional craftsmen should be added to this amount, which often costs 50% of the amount paid for the air handling unit. Save allows independent installation of the ventilation valve. Let's figure out how to cope with this task.
Preparation for installation
Before installing the supply valves, you should make sure that the ventilation system of the building is functioning properly. To do this, it is enough to open the windows, and then bring a piece of thin paper to the ventilation outlets. If the ventilation works properly, the latter will be drawn into the shaft. It is unacceptable to use matches or a lighted candle for these purposes, since in the presence of combustible gases in the ducts, a fire hazard is likely to occur. If the section is slightly attracted to the ventilation hole, care must be taken to clean the air-conducting paths.
Supply ventilation unit
Currently, compact local supply systems have become widespread. Such units are easy to install and have established themselves as a reliable, energy-saving means for ventilation of individual rooms.
Local installations are really small. However, despite the small size, such systems provide a noticeable influx of heated or cooled, purified air into the room. Inside the compact box is a fan for supplying air from the street, a purification filter and automation that controls the operation of the devices.
To install a local air handling unit, the following sequence of actions is performed:
- The installation location is selected. As practice shows, the installation of such systems looks most rational in rooms where there is a large crowd of people.
- First, a corresponding marking is created, after which a hole in the wall is punched.
- Supply ventilation is installed on the facade surface near the window or balcony, as high as possible directly under the ceiling.
- After completing the opening, the installation of telescopic ducts. Protective caps are worn on the outside of the walls.
- Finally, the entire system is installed in the assembly.
As you can see, the installation of a domestic air supply unit is not difficult. The main task is to break through a rather solid supporting wall. To do this, you will have to find the necessary equipment, tools, as well as personal protective equipment.
If you plan to carry out work in a high-rise building, and there is no way to reach the installation site from the outside through windows or a balcony, it is better to involve specialists in the implementation of the task.