Energy recovery for climatisation systems

Today we welcome Domus Serveis a firm that will enrich our blog thanks to its experience in: air conditioning systems, air purification, heating etc. 

When someone is talking about indoor air, a question often arises: Is it necessary to ventilate these spaces regularly? Yes, in fact, it is essential to promote the air circulation in any space because, to renounce to it is cause the proliferation of: smells, particles, allergens and viruses like COVID-19. Besides, doing so does not require any effort -unless we are talking about disabled people they must be helped-.

To achieve a proper air circulation you must open the different windows of the room you are in for the time it would take to evacuate the smoke from a cigarette or from two to four fingers permanently. Although we recommend to opt for "cross ventilation" which consists of: generating natural air currents inside our home, allowing the air renewal and at the same time improving the climatic conditions of your home. To do this we will have to open a window on the facade where the wind blows more, and another on the opposite side. This way we reduce the concentration of CO2 in interiors that can reach 3,000 ppm while in exteriors the level is between 300 and 400 ppm. It is not in vain that micro-particles capable of remaining in suspension in the air for seconds or minutes in poorly ventilated closed spaces (aerosols) are an important way of transmitting COVID-19.  

In this regard, a research in Taiwan proved the correlation between a ventilation increase and decrease in respiratory diseases by concluding that: "an outbreak of tuberculosis ceased when engineers improved air circulation and achieved CO2 levels below 600 ppm (...) increased ventilation was responsible for 97% of the decrease in transmission". Nor should we forget that air purifiers complement the fight against them.

Let's move forward with a second question: How does the opening of doors, windows, or the activation of mechanical systems to provide new air affect energy consumption? Let's see; when a closed and air-conditioned interior (the chosen temperature must be close to the comfort temperature) receives an input of external air we will always have to re-air-condition the volume of new air brought into the room. 

Energy efficiency is a recurring theme in our blog but Domus broadens our horizons by pointing out that it also concerns air renewal. In other words, it is a saving not to be constantly air-conditioning with every new supply of outside air. It is important to emphasize that energy recovery for air conditioning systems must be demanded in any kind of premises. 

Two weeks ago, Finques Feliu talked about the Sick Building Syndrome, this article goes deeper in how to fight it in the systems that do not have treatment of the air goal that is reached using "enthalpic recuperators". 

These are "transferers" of temperatures from one fluid to another, in this case the air. Calm, we explain in detail its operation. We go there, through the entálpica recovering unit, air is taken mechanically from the outside that, once the process is started, will be mixed inside this machine, without contact between the input and output fluids. As a result, the noxious air from the interior will be expelled to the outside, through a system of ducts and hermetic fans. In addition, it will first transfer its thermal energy from the exit to the incoming air, thus achieving its maximum use and the consequent energy saving in the air conditioning of any space. In this way, we will achieve an environmental renewal and a complete hygiene in a mechanical way.

At a legal level, the Regulation of Thermal Installations in Buildings (RTIB) is mandatory in all public and private spaces regardless of their size and use. Beyond the coercion implied by any legal provision, from Domus Serveis we defend the need to raise the  air renewal standards. In short, betting on environmental health preserves well-being, increases work productivity and assures us a greater comfort. Moreover, the investment required is amortized in a reasonable time.

From Finques Feliu and from Domus Serveis we look after you.