TOWARDS IMPROVED PERFORMANCES OF MECHANICAL VENTILATION

SYSTEMS TIP-VENT

Jean-Claude Faÿsse

ALDES Aeraulique SA

Peter Wouters, Christophe Delmotte

CSTC - WTCB

Contract JOE3-CT 97-0080

PUBLISHABLE FINAL REPORT

01/02/1998 to 31/07/2000

Research funded in part by THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION

In the framework of the Non Nuclear Energy Programme

JOULE IV

1. TITLE

EC PROGRAMME : NNE-JOULE C PROJECT TITLE & ACRONYM: Towards Improved Performances of mechanical

Ventilation systems TIP-VENT CONTRACT NUMBER : JOE3970080

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2. ABSTRACT

From the energy and environment viewpoint, the impact of mechanical ventilation systems can be important, although little exists in the literature to help manufacturers and designers to quantify this impact in realistic situations. There is also a lack of knowledge about the definition of performances and the way to apply them in the design, the installation or the maintenance of ventilation systems. The aim of the Tip-Vent project is to : - have a better understanding of the impact of the ventilation rates on the energy

consumption; - have a better knowledge of the real performances of the existing ventilation systems; - make an overview of the European standards concerning ventilation and a study of their

impact on the performances; - develop a performance oriented approach; - develop smart components, controls and systems; - develop guidelines for the application of the developed concept; - transfer the outcomes of the research to the professionals. The first task of the Tip-Vent project is to quantify the impact of the air flows on the energy consumption (heating, cooling, electricity). The main tool of this task is the computer simulation. Five types of building (semi-detached residence, apartment, hotel, office and auditorium) in 3 types of European climate (hot, moderate and cold) have been studied. The determination of the real performances of the existing mechanical ventilation systems is based on available data from the partners of the research and from in situ performance assessments. The study of the existing building standards and regulations can be divided in three parts: - an inventory of the existing standards in the European countries; - an analyse of the impact of the standards on the performances - a study of the possibilities or the barriers within the standards for market introduction of

smart components and design. The development of a performance oriented approach is the key of the Tip-vent research. The objective of this task of the project is to develop a design and operational approach to mechanical ventilation systems. This approach is based on system performance criteria and on-site checking. The work of the Task is based on a review and assessment of the potential for, and implementation of, performance based criteria. Three smart innovative systems have been developed within the project. The first one is an active noise attenuator for domestic and small commercial ventilation applications. The second is an energy efficient and sustainable air distribution system for mechanical ventilation while the third is a booster intake valve for intermittent but high ventilation needs. An other task of the project confront the performance oriented concept with practice by applying it to a number of smart systems. This work results in the development of guidelines for mechanical ventilation systems. In order to transfer the outcomes of the research to the professionals (industry, designers, ...) a website has been developed and a handbook has been edited at the end of the project.

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3. PARTNERSHIP

Aldes Aéraulique Mr Jean-Claude Faÿsse Mr Jean-François Nouvel 20 Boulevard Joliot Curie F-69694 Venissieux Cédex France Bergschenhoek BV Mr Peter Bulsing P.O. Box 45 Boterdorpseweg 10 Bergschenhoek NL-2650 AA Berkel en Rodenrijs The Netherlands Basler & Hofmann Mr Charles Filleux Forchstrasse 395 CH-8029 Zürich Zwitzerland AB Jacobson & Widmark Mr Åke Blomsterberg Slagthuset S-211 20 Malmoe Sweden

CSTC-WTCB Mr Peter Wouters Rue de la Violette 21-23 B-1000 Brussels Belgium BSRIA Ltd Mr Kevin Pennycook Old Bracknell Lane West Bracknell Berkshire RG 12 7AH United Kingdom University of Porto Faculdade de Engenharia Mr Eduardo Maldonado Rua dos bragas 4099 Porto Codex Portugal TNO Bouw Mr Willem de Gids Schoemakerstraat 97 Postbus 49 2600 AA Delft The Netherlands

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4. OBJECTIVES

This project aims to contribute to a substantial progress and has the following objectives: 1. To achieve a better understanding of the impact of air flow rate requirements found in

standards on the energy demand of buildings (residential and office type buildings) and the existing background for the specification of the ventilation requirements;

2. To evaluate, by means of monitoring, for a selection of buildings (dwellings and offices) equipped with mechanical ventilation the level of agreement between the required, design and real air flow rates, between the required, design and real sound levels, between the required, design and real draught performances, between the desirable and real fan consumption, between the desirable and real air quality of the supply air and between the expected and real performances of heat recovery in practice;

3. To analyse in the participating member countries (south, central, north of Europe) as well as in some other countries the impact of standards and building regulations on the performances of ventilation systems;

4. To develop a really performance oriented approach for mechanical ventilation including procedures for on site performance checking. This approach must allow a better market penetration for innovative technologies;

5. To apply the performance concept on a representative range of systems and produce a set of guidelines;

6. To develop a number of smart designs for improved performances with emphasis on active acoustical insulation, medium pressure air cleaning, low pressure mechanical ventilation and intelligent fan control;

7. To compile the outcomes of the different tasks in a source book that will be distributed throughout Europe

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5. TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION, RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS

The work carried out in the Tip-Vent project has been divided in 7 separate tasks. 5.1 Task 1 : Better understanding of the impact of ventilation on energy demand of buildings

The relative importance of ventilation in the energy balance of buildings has been increasing, as a consequence of control of heat exchanges through the envelope and internal gains. It is therefore very important to clearly understand the main factors that affect energy consumption due to ventilation and potential ways to decrease the energy demand without affecting IAQ.

An analysis was made to study the impact of the following issues: (1) ventilation rates mandated by regulations and standards in Europe; (2) ventilation control strategies; (3) fan power consumption; (4) Other issues such as heat recovery and air tightness of the building envelope.

The methodology consisted of computer simulation using mainstream programs such as ESP-r and Visual DOE as well as other more specific such as STEVE. Six real buildings were selected as case-studies: An hotel, an auditorium, an office building, a single-family dwelling, an apartment and a large office building. They were all simulated in a mild, a moderate and a cold climate. Results show that ventilation rates mandated by standards and regulations can have a very large impact upon the energy consumption in a building. If minimum ventilation rates mandated by regulations and standards from different countries are applied to a certain building at a certain location, differences of nearly 100 % in cooling and heating energy demands can be found. As minimum ventilation rates should be established based on health criteria, these results call for a critical evaluation of the existing standards and regulations toward a certain degree of uniformity. The use of control procedures that allow adjusting ventilation rates to the real and time-dependent occupancy (such as CO2 control) can have an extremely important impact on energy consumption. This is especially applicable for service buildings with a highly variable occupation pattern during the day. This is thus an area with great potential for development. Regulations and standards should clearly make a reference to this issue and promote this type of techniques. In general, heating energy consumption is proportional to ventilation rates, but cooling consumption increases if ventilation rates are smaller. In Summer, the optimum ventilation pattern is low ventilation rates when the outdoor temperature is high and large ventilation rates otherwise, i.e., free-cooling. Energy consumption due to fans can be usually small in the total HVAC energy consumption if good design and specification take place, representing up to 15% of total HVAC needs, but, in some particularly badly designed cases, it can easily exceed 50% of total consumption. Electricity to run the fans is usually an expensive form of energy, and it should thus be reduced through a careful selection of components and careful design. In a global approach, it was shown that, in some cases, a “best system” (including heat recovery, demand controlled ventilation, free-cooling, good duct design and fan selection) can allow an energy saving of up to 70% over a “common system” (no heat recovery, constant ventilation, standard duct design and fan selection).

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5.2 Task 2 : Field evaluation of ventilation system performances The objectives of Task 2 were to evaluate, by means of monitoring, for a selection of buildings (dwellings and offices) equipped with mechanical ventilation the level of agreement between the required, design and real air flow rates, between the required, design and real sound levels, between the required, design and real draught performances, between the desirable and real fan consumption, between the desirable and real air quality of the supply air and between the expected and real performances of heat recovery in practice; The first part of the work carried out in the framework of Task 2 has been dedicated to the gathering of existing data’s. The different partners have supplied information. The evaluation of the data’s has been carried out on:

• Energy • Indoor Climate • Flow rates

A report on failures in existing systems has been written. From the national reports the existing situation may be considered as quite critical. The reasons for failures in mechanical ventilation are mainly due to mistakes in the construction phase and use. During construction the failures are due to bad balancing, adjustment, and lack of commissioning. According to the study, conclusions and recommendations could be the following :

In the existing situation designed air flow rates are very often not realised in practice. • • •

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•

•

•

The air flow rates are in most cases too low, but sometimes also too high. Failures seem to happen in all type of buildings. Most failures are made in the construction phase and normal use of the building. Education programs for installers and their fitters have to be developed to ensure the right translation from design to real practice. Probably certification of installers such as registered fitters is a possibility. A better instruction to the user of ventilation systems in buildings is necessary to reach satisfactory ventilation performances. When people know how to use the system and moreover why they have to handle in a certain way, one can expect a better use and prevention of misuse. Regular cleaning and maintenance is also part of good use of the system. Checks and adjustments, as well as balancing are vital activities for the system before handing over. Better commissioning procedures and protocols have to be developed. Within CEN an attempt is made. A draft standard id being produced. A mandatory system like in Sweden is preferable for the whole of Europe. New and innovative systems should be fool proof, and less depending on the right execution or use of the systems. This lead to systems with better but “human” control, which can be overruled by the occupant.

During the second phase of Task 2, measurements of the performances on existing new buildings, specially good examples, were carried out.

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5.3 Task 3 : Analysis of the impact of the standards and the building regulations on the performance of ventilation systems The objective of Task 3 was to evaluate the present situation regarding the impact of building regulations and standards on a) the performance of ventilation systems and b) the development and market entry of smart systems and components

The different partners have supplied information on building regulations and standards in the participating countries.

The following criteria were used to study the impact of building regulations and standards on the performance of ventilation systems:

Energy consumption (thermal and electrical) • • •

Comfort (indoor air quality, thermal comfort, noise level) Costs (Capital costs, maintenance costs)

The impact of more than twenty regulatory topics have been analysed using the above criteria. Large impacts are observed for requirements regarding the thermal heat loss, the ventilation rate, the indoor air quality, the indoor air temperature, the noise level and the fire protection. Lower impacts were observed for requirements regarding the efficiency of systems and components. The results are discussed in the Task 3 report.

In order to identify future fields of activities for the improvement of ventilation systems we have studied the influence of the standardised matters on the systems and components commonly used in the various countries. The impacts on the development and market entry of systems and components has been analysed and rated separately country by country. Large differences exist, even within the countries themselves (regional markets). Nevertheless, drivers and barriers have been identified. Important drivers for the development of systems and their components and therefore strong fields of activities are comfort requirements (acoustics and indoor air quality) and energy issues (efficiency, heat recovery, air tightness and duct tightness). Less important drivers for the development of systems are requirements regarding variable air flow and demand control. If introduced in advanced standards these fields can be very interesting for future developments. Regarding the barriers it is important to distinguish between technical and institutional barriers. Institutional barriers are identified as "no regulation" and "lack of encouragement". Lack of encouragement is hindering development and application of efficient components and systems in some countries. Outlook: Standards are tending to become more performance oriented rather than requiring specific solutions (i.e. being descriptive). Parallel to this development is the process of harmonisation of the European standards, but this work has still a long way to go.

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5.4 Task 4 : Development of a performance oriented approach for mechanical ventilation The objective of Task 4 was to develop a design and operational approach for mechanical ventilation systems. This approach was based on system performance criteria and on site checking. The work of the Task was based on a review and assessment of the potential for, and implementation of, performance-oriented criteria. A report was produced providing results of the review. The contents of the report comprised:

• Background information • Context and requirements for performance-oriented approaches • Performance-oriented approaches • Performance-oriented approaches within the life cycle of a building • Non technical barriers/drivers to performance-oriented approaches • Performance-oriented framework • How to assess performance-oriented approaches on site • Design and specification improvements • Technology improvements • Process related improvements

A key part of the work was the development of a performance-oriented specification framework. The specification framework provides a practical means of specifying the required performance of a mechanical ventilation system. The framework is split into three levels: building level, system level and component level. A range of performance criteria was provided for each level along with associated means of quantification. Guidance on what performance oriented approaches to on site testing and assessment was also produced. Performance criteria were produced for the building/system level and the component level. The work of Task 4 has led to the development of a practical specification framework for mechanical ventilation systems. The specification framework can be applied to a wide range of mechanical ventilation systems and applications (the framework allows the quantification of specific criteria to be set for specific applications). Because of its flexible nature the framework can be applied in any European country. The performance-oriented approaches developed as part of Task 4 provide a more flexible and less rigid approach to ventilation system design whereby targets are set which must be met in order that the ventilation system performs as required. This is in contrast to the more traditional descriptive/functional approaches which are rigid and inflexible in nature and which in turn can stifle innovation in terms of both system and product design. By being performance oriented in nature, use of the specification framework will encourage the adoption of innovative mechanical ventilation systems and components.

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5.5 Task 5 : Development of a number of smart components, controls and systems 5.5.1 Task 5.1 : Active noise insulation In a dwelling, the noise from air ductwork : mechanical ventilation, central air conditioning systems,…can lead to discomfort. Part of this noise comes from fans, and is transmitted through ventilation ducts. Classical techniques are no able to treat this range of noise problems. Classical passive sound attenuators are efficient at high frequencies, but quite no inefficient at low ones. This is the background of the development of an Active Noise Attenuation system (ANA). A.N.A. is in fact the combination of a passive part (for high frequencies attenuation) and an active part (for low frequencies attenuation). ALDES and an Electronic Company, TECHNOFIRST, have developed the ACTA product : active noise attenuation for medium size installations, duct diameters between 250mm and 630mm. ACTA is then a component of about 1.5 m length. For smaller installations : individual houses, apartments, small commercial buildings, no system existed before the Tip-Vent project. The development of this system was the objective of Task 5.1. Small applications needs small components (to be incorporated inside ducts diameters from 125mm to 250mm) and, also, small prices at the end, which is an important objective of the development of such systems. When developing A.N.A. for small applications, starting from existing principle and “big” product, the two main problems to solve are :

find a compromise between loudspeaker size and its low frequency cutting ; • •

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•

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find a compromise between size and efficiency of the microphone protection against turbulence.

Through the development of an A.N.A. prototype, solutions were found :

positioning of loudspeaker and microphones on the side of the duct (instead of inside the duct) ; size layout of the loudspeaker : enclosure volume of 0.7 l, diaphragm diameter of 10 cm, engine diameter of 6 cm ; size of microphones and protections : microphone is 1 cm high, with a diameter of 1.5 cm.

The Figure 1 shows the A.N.A. prototype, positioned just downstream a small residential fan.

Figure 1: A.N.A. prototype

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The following figure gives the attenuation of the active part of A.N.A. prototype, which has been developed in the frame of Task 5.1. As we can see, an attenuation of 10 to 15 dB is obtained between 100 Hz and 600 Hz, with some fluctuations.

Figure 2 : Attenuation of the active part of A.N.A. prototype

The above ANA prototype was tested on two applications. For both applications, measurements have been made, with and without ANA, at two locations :

inside the duct (between ANA and the room), • • inside the room. Figure 3 show the implementation of ANA prototype on the existing ventilation duct.

Figure 3 : : Dwelling application after ANA prototype installation

5.5.2 Task 5.2 : Development of low energy ventilation systems The goal for this task is to decrease the energy consumption due to transportation of air in practice with a factor of two. The development include: • low resistance ductwork • low resistance fittings • low resistance Air terminal devices • better controls • energy efficient fans.

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The new design of individual- and prefab chimneys creates better aerodynamic properties and reduces the pressure drops by different airflow and wind directions.

Figure 4 : The new prefab chimney (Cox-Combi 125mm) and the individual chimney (Coxtrek 125 mm) In the last several years the design of the fan casing is improved strongly. Using environmental plastics, the construction and aerodynamic properties are on maximal level. Improving the casing design is almost impossible. After a long time of research and testing Bergschenhoek has found a solution in a special fan with a Direct Current (DC) technology. In a DC fan with special electronic components, the Alternating Current (AC) power of 230 Volts is changing into DC power of 48 Volts. DC fans have a better efficiency compare with an AC fan. The energy consumption is reduced with more than 40 %. By a normal use of an exhaust system, the energy consumption of the standard fan (WV15) is 177 kWh per year. In practice the pressure drops of systems are often higher and a bigger fan is needed (WV16). The energy consumption is 335 kWh

Figure 5 : Improved fan design

The new duct system developed within Task 5.2 (SPIROSAFE) has rubber-sealing rings that ensure a joint is sealed immediately and kept optimally airtight. This significantly speeds up assembly and makes the use of tape unnecessary.

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Figure 6 : SPIROSAFE ventilation system

In the domestic field the ducts for mechanical ventilation are installed in the concrete floors. Because of the high they use rectangular ducts with the maximum size 80 x 170 mm. Size 70 x 170 mm (equivalent 125 mm) is most common All SPIROVENT/SPIROSAFE ducts and fittings meet the airtightness norm class C To optimise the aerodynamic features we design a new system for ducts in concrete floors with circular ducts. With some special and new components we create a flexible system with very low pressure drops.

Figure 7 : New system for ducts in concrete

Low induction valves have been developed to further minimise the pressure drop and reduce the energy consumption.

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Figure 8 : Low induction valves with special ducting systems

The combination of the new components allows to reduce the energy consumption of ventilation systems with 50 % 5.5.3 Boost intake valve The ventilation needs in dwellings can be separated in two distinct types :

the needs for “fresh air” for the occupants in the habitable or main rooms : living-room, bedrooms;

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• the need for punctual extraction in the technical rooms where specific pollution occurs : kitchen, bathroom, toilets.

It is recognised that the first type of needs requires a quite continuous and relatively low air flow, which is sometimes called a basic air flow. The second type generally requires high intermittent and high air flow, localised in specific rooms, even often in specific places in these rooms. The « Boost Intake Valve » B.I.V. is an additional air inlet which allows to separate the need for a general and permanent ventilation of the dwelling and the intermittent high ventilation needs which are necessary for the cooker hood, drying machine, ....The development of this kind of system was the objective of Task 5.3. The complementary air flow from outside, needed for the intermittent high ventilation action is fulfilled by the B.I.V., positioned in the technical rooms (the kitchen is the first application). In the principle, B.I.V. will be in communication with the outside of the dwelling ; it will let the air incoming or will be closed according to the variations of both exhausted air flow and under-pressure in the dwelling, as shown in the following figure.

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Figure 9: BIV opening/closing principle, according to the increasing/decreasing underpressure inside the dwelling

The B.I.V. prototype which was developed in the framework of Task 5.3 showed good agreement with the above aerodynamic characteristics (see figure below). It was also characterised according to the duration of the opening and closing periods (both comprised between 15 s and 30 s) ; also the acoustic characteristic of sound insulation was tested in laboratory (B.I.V opened, B.I.V. closed).

Figure 10: BIV prototype (left) and laboratory measurements of BIV opening/closing according to the underpressure (right) Real test of BIV were made:

49 BIV have been manufactured for these tests. • •

•

• •

49 apartments in three different buildings (one is a new building, others are existing) have been equipped with B.I.V. and a general mechanical ventilation system is also existing.

After BIV field testing, the main conclusions are :

the global BIV behaviour is satisfactory : reaction to increasing underpressure inside the dwelling (around 30 Pa) ; underpressure inside the dwelling when BIV is opened (around 15 Pa) ; no sensitivity to wind ; internal frictions have to be reduced : they induce delay in closing/opening of the BIV ; some dysfunction’s may occur in very particular situations.

Field testing showed that two main points had to be improved on BIV product :

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the rigidity of the box, • • the rotation of flap axle, in order to insure a correct (in relation with the performance characteristics which were defined and measured) and reproductible behaviour of the BIV. The next generation of BIV, ready to be put on the market, is now characterised by a better rigidity (the material constituting the box is more rigid) and by the use of two springs (return springs) instead of one (see prototype). 5.6 Task 6 : Application of developed concept 5.6.1 Current Design Procedures for ventilation systems The current traditional design procedure for residential and commercial buildings is not really performance oriented and therefore does usually not encourage implementation of innovative ventilation. Energy use usually has a low priority when designing a ventilation system, often due to the lack of life cycle perspective. The energy requirements in the building code are of course taken into account. Use of electricity for ventilation is only taken into account in some countries. Usually the indoor air quality is only taken into consideration to the extent that in regulations and standards required or recommended air flow rates are fulfilled. Indoor air quality is however gradually becoming an issue of great concern. The wide use of rules of thumb means that mostly conventional ventilation systems will be implemented. However the wide range of computer software, available for the design of ventilation systems for commercial buildings, is likely to encourage the implementation of innovative systems, as a better understanding can be reached. The task of designing a ventilation system is often given to the HVAC engineering firm, who offers to do the job for the lowest price. This usually excludes thorough analysis using e.g. LCC (life cycle cost)-analysis, and thereby the implementation of innovative ventilation systems. 5.6.2 Guidelines for Performance Based Innovative Mechanical Ventilation Systems There are many ways of encouraging the implementation of well performing conventional and innovative ventilation systems: regulations, additional financial support, education/information and market forces. In order to facilitate the implementation a more performance oriented approach to ventilation has to be developed. To begin with, the regulations and standards have to require quality by better specifying the performance of ventilation systems than is currently the practice. The clients and users have to ask for quality by specifying requirements corresponding to a desired performance. A performance oriented procedure for ventilation should apply to not only the design but also to the construction, commissioning, operation, maintenance and deconstruction. All the different phases of the life time of a ventilation system have a strong influence on how the system will perform in operation. A performance oriented approach to mechanical ventilation systems provides a more flexible approach to ventilation system design and operation, thereby facilitating the implementation of innovative systems.

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The purpose of the guidelines is to give guidance to practitioners as to how to bring about ventilation systems with good performances applying conventional and innovative technologies. First of all the brief has to specify the desired quality (performance specifications), then the designer has to design a ventilation system fulfilling the quality requirements. The contractor must build a system meeting these requirements. It must be possible to verify the performance on-site. Finally the operation and maintenance crew have to ensure that the performance according to the desired quality level is maintained during the life time. Examples of areas where the performance of ventilation systems can and should be improved are use of electricity, sound levels, life cycle cost, operation and maintenance, which are highlighted in the guidelines. The following aspects are covered in the guidelines: performance specifications (introduction, criteria, verification on site), design (introduction, efficient use of electricity, low sound levels, life cycle perspective, building management system, operation and maintenance, software), construction, commissioning, operation and maintenance (introduction, routines for operational monitoring, reliability), deconstruction, life cycle analysis, and application on innovative systems (active noise attenuator, low energy ventilation, boost intake valve). 5.7 Task 7 : Transfer of technology : website and handbook The main objectives of this task are to set up an active information exchange between the project and the HVAC sector and to transfer the findings and outcomes of this project to the industry. The first way to achieve those goals is to set-up a website on the World Wide Web (WWW). The second way of transferring the technology is to produce a source book The website has been developed and published at the end of October 1998 at the following address : http://www.tip-vent.com The website contains 5 main branches :

- About the site : This part is an introduction to the project and to the site. It contains a search form that able to search for keywords in the all site. It also contains a form page to able the communication with the HVAC sector.

- Partners : In this part one can find a description of the participants of the research. It includes an overview of their main activities and their addresses. It also gives a link to their official web pages.

- Project : This page contains a detailed description of the 7 tasks of Tip-vent together with the first results of Task 1 and Task 4.

- Meeting : This page is mainly a reminder of the dates of the different meetings. - Related topics : This page contains information about the European standardisation

CEN TC 156 “Building ventilation”. In particular one can find information about the status of the work within this technical committee

An initial report which provides a review of the potential application of performance-based approaches with an assessment of both technical and process related issues has been produced in the framework of Task 4. This report called «Development of a performance oriented approach for mechanical ventilation systems » has been distributed through the web site as a

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means of obtaining comment from industry, research organisations, regulatory bodies and other parties involved in the specification and application of mechanical ventilation systems. Web pages concerning the final report of Task 1 (Better understanding of the impact of air flow rate requirements in standards and regulations on energy demand of buildings) have also been included in the website. The production of a sourcebook is the second way of transferring the technology to the professionals.. The target audience of the document has been defined as follow:

Specifiers of ventilation systems, product and system developers and suppliers and those involved in standards and regulations

And the objectives of the document are:

The aim of this sourcebook is to give the reader a correct understanding of the actual performances of ventilation systems, the reasons for such performance levels and approaches for creating better conditions for high quality ventilation systems and innovative ventilation systems. As an illustration, an analysis of various innovative ventilation systems is included.

The content of the document is the following:

- Introduction - The TIPVENT challenges - Quality and performances of ventilation systems - Ventilation requirements - Energy use due to ventilation - Ventilation performances in daily practice - Concepts for achieving improved ventilation systems - Lessons learned from the tip-vent project - Examples - References

All the partners participated to the redaction of the different chapters of the source book which are mainly based on the results of the different tasks. During the meeting in Lyon the partners decided that the document will be published as a CD-Rom. The advantages of a CD-Rom are the cost (it is much cheaper to produce and to post than a book) and the possibility to include a lot of interesting annexes (the reports of the different tasks for example) in the publication. All reports have been redesigned in order to produce a user-friendly CD-Rom. They also have been transformed in PDF format that can be read with the Adobe Acrobat Reader software (Adobe® Acrobat® Reader™ is a free, and freely distributable, software that lets view and print Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) files on all major computer platforms, as well as fill in and submit PDF forms online). The software is included in the CD-Rom.

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6. EXPLOITATION PLANS AND ANTICIPATED BENEFITS

The results of the Tip-Vent project can be divided in two groups : - Scientific reports (Source book and Task reports) - New ventilation products (Active noise insulation, low energy ventilation systems, boost

intake valve) The scientific reports will be recorded on CD-ROM and distributed free of charge by the Tip-Vent partners in their countries. It is expected to distribute about 6000 CD-ROM’s. The new ventilation products will be commercialised by the industrial partners (Aldes Aéraulique and Bergschenhoek). Some of the products need further improvements to become cost effective. The estimated economic impact is about 3.000.000 €.

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7. PHOTOGRAPH, DIAGRAM OR FIGURE TO ILLUSTRATE POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS OF THE PROJECT

Figure 11 : Picture of the Active Noise Atenuator prototype

Figure 12 : Picture of the SPIROSAFE ventilation system

Figure 13: Picture of the boost intake valve prototype

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