- Author
- Hunt, C. M. | Treado, S. J.
- Title
- Prototype Semi-Automated System for Measuring Air Infiltration in Buildings Using Sulfur Hexafluoride as a Tracer.
- Coporate
- National Bureau of Standards, Washington, DC
- Sponsor
- National Science Foundation, Washington, DC
- Report
- NBS TN 898, March 1976,
- Distribution
- Available from National Technical Information Service
- Keywords
- residential buildings; air flow; air intakes; sulfur hexafluoride; mixing; heat loss; air circulation; gas analysis; gas chromatography; ventilation
- Identifiers
- tracer studies; air infiltration
- Abstract
- Air infiltration is one of the paths of energy loss which must be assessed in analyzing and improving the energy efficiency of buildings. Experimentally it can be measured by the tracer dilution method in which a known amount of tracer gas is mixed with the building air, and the rate of decrease in concentration monitored. A number of tracer gases have been used for the purpose, but the present note concerns itself with the use of sulfur hexafluoride (SF6). A system is described which automatically operates a small gas chromatograph and measures parts per billion concentrations of sulfur hexafluoride in air. It samples air on a 10-minute cycle and records the response on a strip chart recorder. When SF6 is distributed in the air of a building, data is obtained from which air infiltration rates may be determined.