Energy Efficiency and Laboratory Pressure Control
By insuring that the laboratory is safely and correctly isolated from adjacent spaces, the air pressure control system contributes to the overall energy efficiency of the laboratory facility. An energy-efficient VAV supply and exhaust can be used to control this pressure. The techniques to provide laboratory pressure control include differential pressure sensing, air-flow tracking, and combination pressure sensing/tracking.
The advantages and drawbacks of these techniques make clear that the best choice for safe and energy-efficient laboratory operation is a combination of pressure sensing and air-flow tracking. The pressure control system's efficient maintenance of laboratory conditions has a large effect on heating, cooling, and air moving expenses. According to Grossman (1995), "Depending on the technology used, each laboratory air-flow control system may require a different maximum volume of air measured in cfm, to do the job properly. At an average cost of $3/cfm [to $7/cfm] each year, the differences between the energy costs associated with systems can often be quite dramatic."
Laboratory pressure control objectives
VAV and laboratory pressure control
Application of pressure sensing
Application of air-flow tracking
Combined pressure sensing and air-flow tracking
