Air Ducts are the last mile in an Air-Conditioning System which deliver the air at the design temperature and humidity in the space where it is required.
Substantial energy has been invested into this air to attain the required temperature, humidity and Air Quality. Keeping in mind that it is such a valuable resource, it is unfortunate that in most facilities, measurement of Air Leakage is not a normal practice. This is very concerning, since most Air Ducts are made by connecting metal pieces. Gaskets and silicon sealants may be used at the time of installation, however a small miss or lack of site attention at the time of installation & commissioning can create substantial leakages in the Air Ducts.
These Air Leakages lead to the following problems:
- Energy Loss
- Poor Air Flow, Temperature & Humidity Control
- Loss of HVAC system capacity
- Risk of Air Contamination & poor IAQ
These lead to significant contribution to global warming, climate change, occupant discomfort, potential illness and financial losses.
Hence it becomes very important for the facility managers to understand where and how much Air leakage is occurring in their HVAC Ducts.
Conditioned air in centrally air-conditioned buildings is normally recirculated within the building. While Air filters are normally present in the Air path, over a period, the Air tends to carry dust, flint, carpet fibbers, and other such small particles into the duct.
Dirt in ducts may lead to the following problems:
• Choking of Air Filters
• Cross Contamination of products
• Microbial & fungal growth
• Poor Airflow
The assessment of Air Leakage from the Air Ducts is not easy to determine. In many cases the Air Ducts are above false ceilings and in most cases the Ducts are insulated. Determining the following is not easy:
How well is the Duct sealed?
How much Air leakage is occurring in the Duct?
Where in the Duct is the Air leakage occurring from?
That is where our team at Consergy Systems can provide solutions. Consergy has various diagnostic tools to determine the leakages in Air Ducts.
We use a combination of:
• Visual Inspection by our trained Duct Technicians & Engineers
• Thermal Imaging of your Air Ducts and False Ceilings using High Resolution Thermal Imaging Cameras.
• Air Flow Measurements across your Ducting System using an Air Flow meters.
