Design Example - Workshop

Design a ventilation system for the building shown below. The building is a small workshop used for general metal fabrication and welding. No welding booths are installed. If the building gets too warm the door may be opened for free cooling. DATA: Building dimensions : 15.0 metres long x 7.0 metres wide x 5.0 metres high to eaves. Roof ridge height is 7.5 metres. The air change rate for mechanical ventilation is to be 6 air changes per hour.

Roller Shutter door

WORKSHOP

PLAN

Scale 1:100

The building volume may be calculated from: V = ( L x W x H to eaves ) + ( 0.5 x W x perpendicular height from eaves to ridge x L ) V = ( 15 x 7 x 5 ) + ( 0.5 x 7 x 2.5 x 15 ) V = 525 + 131.25 = 656.25 m3. DESIGN METHODOLOGY 1. What areas need ventilation? Answer: The total area of the workshop. The contaminants are welding fumes and heat. What type of system should be used, supply, extract or balanced? Answer: Extract. Are there any alternative systems to consider? Answer: No, supply air is not required. Is air conditioning necessary in the building? Answer: No, external door to be opened. Where should the fan(s) and plant be installed? Answer: On the roof. What type of fan(s) and plant should be used? Answer: Roof mounted units with weatherproof cowl. Anti-backdraught shutters on each fan. No ductwork. Is a separate heating system necessary? Answer: No, not for extract only. What type of control system should be used? Answer: Variable speed fan(s) for a flexible system. What type of air distribution system should be used, upward or downward? Answer: Upward for extract systems, with duct mounted extract grilles. Have I considered what will happen in the event of a fire in the building? Answer: The fans could remove smoke in the event of a fire. Have I considered the noise from fans? Answer: In a workshop, fan noise is not a problem.

2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

7. 8. 9. 10. 11.

SIZING The sizing procedure is as follows: 1. Calculate Ventilation rates. 2. Decide on number of fans and grilles/diffusers. 3. Draw scale layout drawing: Position fan(s). Lay out ductwork. Lay out grilles and diffusers. Indicate flow rates on drawing. 4. Size ductwork 5. Size fan 6. Size grilles and diffusers.

1. VENTILATION RATES
For Extract ventilation systems the rate in air changes per hour is obtained for some buildings in Table 3.1. There is no explicit rate given for Factories and warehouses or Industrial ventilation due to the variations in building design and usage. The rate for this example is given in the question as 6 air changes per hour. The following formulae may be used: FOR GENERAL MECHANICAL VENTILATION

Ventilation rate (m3/h) = Air Change Rate (/h) x Room Volume (m3) = 6 x 656.25 = 3937.5 m3/h Ventilation rate (m3/s) = Ventilation rate (m3/h) / 3600 = 3937.5 m3/h / 3600 3 = 1.094 m /s. Three extract roof units are used so each will remove 1.094 / 3 = 0.365 m3/s. The resistance to air flow is negligible since there is no ductwork or grilles connected to the fans. It is a good idea to look at several types of extract unit to ascertain the best option for the job. A typical unit is shown below.

CHOOSING A FAN To choose a suitable fan one must look at the performance curves. These curves show the pressure developed by a fan at a given flow rate.

The operating point of the system is marked as a point on the curve. To accurately establish a fan size the air flow resistance would have to be calculated (see DUCT SIZING).

In the absence of duct resistance data we can look at typical fans for the job. There are several options to choose from, for example, from the Woods Air Movement Ltd catalogue:
SIZE Dia. (mm) 315 330 250 315 VOLUME FLOW RATE (m3/s) 0.37 0.37 0.37 0.37 SOUND LEVEL (dB) 48 57 51 49

REF.

FAN TYPE

PRESSURE (Pa) 32 230 135 55

SPEED (rpm) 1420 1300 1350 1420

Woods DSP 315 Woods DSM 330 Woods DSC 250 Woods DSJ 315

Propeller Mixed flow Centrifugal Axial flow

From the above table, the propeller type fan and the axial flow fan produce 32Pa and 55 Pa pressure which is sufficient for the proposed system.

The noise output from both fans is similar. I would choose the DSP 315 propeller type unit since a speed controller is available. The ductwork resistance can be calculated later to ascertain an accurate fan size.

3No. fan speed controllers

3No. Roof mounted extract units

0.182 m3/s.

0.182 m3/s.

0.182 m3/s.

PLAN

Scale 1:100