Displacement air flow in a printing plant measured with a rapid response tracer gas system

Abstract

A multipoint (8 channel) single tracer-gas measuring unit is described. Using a gas chromatograph for the tracer (SF6) analysis a 9 s sampling interval was achieved. The detection limit was 0.03 ppb. The workshop (9700 m ³) was ventilated using the displacement design principle. The air supply rate by mechanical ventilation was 7.7 m³s^-1 and infiltration was added to this at a rate of 6.3 m3 s^-1. The displacement air flow created two different flow regions in the workshop. Heat and air pollutants accumulated in an upper region giving acceptable working conditions in the lower region (the zone of occupancy). Consequently, displacement ventilation has potential for improving air quality in high-ceiling workshops with a heat load.