Best Practices for Designing Energy-Efficient Laboratory
Ventilation and Control Systems
Woody Dickinson, TSI Incorporated
Properly designed laboratory control systems maintain
ventilation, comfort and pressurization. They provide primary and
secondary containment by ensuring that fume hoods operate properly
and that the entire laboratory space remains negative with respect
to adjoining spaces. They can consume, however, a considerable amount
of energy.
The type of laboratory and its use should determine the overall
mechanical system design as well as the best control strategy. The
reason for VAV labs is well understand with a brief summary of the
features and benefits. Still, budget constraints and rising energy
costs impose a greater incentive for designing in optimal laboratory
control systems that reduce exhaust air volumes to that needed for
the safety and comfort of those people working in and around laboratories.
Control systems and their components will be analyzed and compared
for first cost and life cycle operating costs, including energy
use. This will be a rigorous engineering based poster presentation
that highlights advantages and disadvantages of todays commonly
applied laboratory control systems: direct pressure, offset, or
flow tracking, and flow tracking with pressure feedback. Examples
of recently constructed laboratory buildings will be featured to
focus on real-life lessons learned, including comparing fan energy
use via fan curves and manufacturer's projected energy use. The
control system selection affects the mechanical equipment selection
and duct requirement, which, in turn, affect the structural requirements
as well as the building floor plan and footprint.
System components have a profound effect on system operation and
must be chosen appropriately, particularly when optimizing for energy
efficiency. Dampers, flow sensors, and venturi valves all have pros
and cons when balancing first cost with operating costs, accuracies,
and system performance. All will be compared for advantages and
disadvantages providing the engineer/planner with a basis for recommendation.
Labs21 Connection:
This poster presentation analyzes how the type of laboratory control
system determines the HVAC system design, which, in turn, affects
the building's design and its lifetime energy use. Poster graphics
will show side-by-side comparisons of each laboratory control system
in terms of first cost and design factors, equipment differences,
and energy usage in easy to read and understandable tables. Similar
techniques will be used to compare operating performance and energy
usage differences of damper-based and venturi valve based systems,
supported by two prominent, recently constructed laboratory-building
projects.
This presentation technique provides a template for the engineer
to specifically optimize whole building efficiency on a life-cycle
basis and establish goals upfront for designing these systems, track
their performance, and strive for continuous improvement. The posters
will show the use of life-cycle cost analysis, adding laboratory
ventilation control to the owner's array of energy efficiency strategies
to promote energy efficiency efforts. This session will effectively
encourage laboratory owners, operators, and designers to adopt the
"Labs21 Approach" when it comes to the all important ventilation
control system necessary for safety and comfortable working conditions.
Biography:
Woody Dickinson earned his Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering
degree from the University of Colorado in 1976, an MBA from University
of Wisconsin Whitewater in 1998, is a Greenbelt in Six Sigma and
a long time member of the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration
and Air Conditioning Engineers. During his 17 years in the commercial
HVAC controls industry with Johnson Controls and Siemens Building
Technologies, and currently with TSI Incorporated, he has become
an accomplished technical marketer currently focusing on laboratory
ventilation and controls projects as TSI's Senior Product Manager
of Critical Environments.
Back to the Poster Session
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