Authors: Clito Afonso, Rui Gonçalves

The objective of this work is to perform an analysis of the advantages and savings of electric energy in the ventilators of UTA’s (air treatment units) when comparing the new airflows due to legislation versus air flow rates obtained by continuous monitoring of the air indoor CO2 levels. With the efficiency and energy costs being increasingly sought, there is a constant search for optimization of ventilation facilities, operating costs and their actual performances. In the installation under analysis, two modes of high indoor air quality maintenance are considered: continuous monitoring by CO2 level sensors, involving variable hourly renewal rates according to the degradation of indoor air quality, and another by direct application of the new air flows. The advantages of the continuous air quality monitoring system are clearly visible since it allows a clear reduction in the hours of operation of the equipment, namely the UTA's. The avoided emissions of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere were also analysed ecologically when the installation in question opts for the continuous air quality monitoring system.

Clito Afonso¹ | Rui Gonçalves¹
1Department of Mechanical Engineering Portugal (DEMec), University of Porto, Portugal