A Study on the Application of VAV/BPFS(Variable-Air- Volume /Bypass Filtration System) for Indoor Air Environment
Under controlled conditions in an environmental chamber, 24 experiments were performed to compare the ability of a Variable-Air-Volume/Bypass Filtration System(VAV/BPFS) to remove indoor pollutants and to conserve energy with the ability of conventional Variable Air Volume(VAV) system. The specific conclusions of this paper were; first, the VAV/BPFS was more efficient than the VAV system in removing particulate matter, TVOC, and target VOCs. The total effective removal rate of PM for the VAV/BPFS was two times as high as that of the VAV system. The total effective removal rate of TVOC for the VAV/BPFS was 20 percent higher than that of the VAV system. Also each target VOC concentration was reduced by using the VAV/BPFS. Second, clean air delivery rate was increased by using VAV/BPFS due to additional filtration rate. Otherwise, the VAV/BPFS decreased outdoor supply air rate above 25 percent relative to the rate of VAV system. Third, total energy consumption by the VAV/BPFS was lower than that of the VAV system during the period with indoor thermal load, occupied time. The energy saving of the VAV/BPFS ranged from 11 to 16 percent. The VAV/BPFS improves indoor air quality more efficiently than the VAV system, and it reduced energy consumption. Retrofitting the VAV system with the VAV/BPFS was easy. The use of VAV/BPFS is, therefore, recommended for buildings with VAV system as well as for buildings at designing stage.