UFAD and displacement ventilation systems require accurate estimates to meet relative humidity requirements and ensure efficient operations. Take a look at a few design options, and contemplate the reader challenge at the end.
Incorporating under floor air distribution (UFAD) and displacement ventilation systems is an increasingly popular way to provide comfort cooling to a variety of spaces. Since their introduction in Europe in the 1950s, and their domestic rise in specification during the 1990s, UFAD and displacement ventilation systems promise significant energy savings as a direct result of a higher supply air temperature that yields an increase in the use of economizer or free cooling hours.
From schools and office buildings to large public spaces and courthouses, these systems can be very successful when designed with IAQ standards for thermal comfort and humidity control in mind. It is crucial when designing UFAD and displacement ventilation systems to consider the relative humidity and enthalpy, or measurement of total energy in the air, as there can be a need to sub-cool and reheat the supply air to make sure the system is meeting optimal occupant conditions and relative humidity requirements.