Use of VOC sensors for air quality control of building ventilation systems

M. Großklos

doi:10.5194/jsss-4-159-2015

Abstract

Abstract. Air quality control with VOC (volatile organic compound) sensors in residential buildings could increase user comfort by adapting to the actual contaminant level. Preliminary tests assessed the dynamics of VOC levels in single-family passive houses with a ventilation system. At normal and exceptional usages, sufficient signal variations were measured for air quality control. An air quality control was developed and tested in four single-family passive house dwellings to control the building ventilation system via VOC sensors and a special adaptation algorithm to handle variable contaminant loads and sensor drift. Results showed good operation of the air quality control for the ventilation system, detecting changing contaminants within a few minutes and changing the air flow rate in the building immediately. The 43 VOC sensors used during the monitoring had more than 1.2 million working hours in total without any electrical failure, but with a loss of sensitivity for the calibration gas CO. The air quality control could manage that loss of sensitivity and worked well till the end of the field test. A comparison between VOC and CO2 sensors in one building resulted in more detailed information about emission rates in the room with the VOC sensor, allowing one to get a better reaction of the ventilation system.

Highlights

Mechanical ventilation systems with heat recovery could reduce energy consumption and increase residents’ comfort level at the same time
The advantages of sensor-based demand-controlled ventilation systems to increase user comfort have been known for a long time, but only a few studies were published about the way to implement an air quality ventilation control and the usage of VOC sensors (Fisk et al, 1998)
Großklos: Use of VOC sensors for air quality control of building ventilation systems which were tested in other publications (e.g., Kopiske et al, 2004)

Summary

Introduction

Mechanical ventilation systems with heat recovery could reduce energy consumption and increase residents’ comfort level at the same time. M. Großklos: Use of VOC sensors for air quality control of building ventilation systems which were tested in other publications (e.g., Kopiske et al, 2004). Numerous tests were done to characterize the behavior and signal amplitudes in ventilated single-family homes with lower emission rates than in office buildings or in schools, VOC sensor in a passive house sleeping room compared to exhaust air of the ventilation system

Results

Conclusion