Balanced Ventilation - Equipment & Systems - HVAC-R & Solar Engineering Resource

Balanced ventilation is an HVAC strategy that maintains equal volumes of fresh air supply and stale air exhaust, creating optimal indoor air quality while maximizing energy efficiency. Unlike traditional single-direction systems, balanced ventilation actively controls both incoming and outgoing airflows through dedicated fans and heat recovery mechanisms.

Table des matières

Core Operating Principle
Échangeurs d'air
Types of Balanced Ventilation Systems
Heat Recovery Ventilator (HRV)
Energy Recovery Ventilator (ERV)
Dedicated Outdoor Air Systems (DOAS)
Technical Specifications
Installation and Maintenance Considerations
Design Requirements
Maintenance Protocol
Economic Benefits

Core Operating Principle

The system operates on a simple but powerful concept: for every cubic meter of fresh outdoor air brought into a building, an equal volume of indoor air is exhausted. This balance prevents pressure imbalances that can cause drafts, door slamming, or infiltration issues while ensuring consistent air quality throughout the space.

Key Components:

Supply fan: Brings fresh outdoor air into the building
Exhaust fan: Removes stale indoor air
Heat recovery ventilator (HRV): Transfers thermal energy between airstreams
Filtration system: Cleans incoming air
Commandes intelligentes: Monitor and adjust airflow rates

Échangeurs d'air

Les échangeurs d’air font exactement ce que leur nom l’indique : ils échangent l’air vicié de l’intérieur avec l’air frais de l’extérieur. Même si les économies d’énergie découlant de l’utilisation d’un échangeur d’air sont souvent minimes, les avantages pour les occupants sont importants. À mesure que les bâtiments sont devenus plus étanches, moins d’air circule par les fuites autour des fenêtres, des portes, des cheminées, etc. Cela peut entraîner une accumulation malsaine d’odeurs, de dioxyde de carbone ou de composés organiques volatils (COV). Ouvrir une fenêtre peut laisser entrer de l'air frais, mais cela entraîne une perte d'énergie considérable. Les échangeurs d'air fournissent l'air frais nécessaire aux occupants et minimisent les pertes d'énergie pour le chauffage ou la climatisation.

Ventilation récupérateur de chaleur (VRC) est un système qui évacue l’air de l’intérieur d’une maison et le remplace par de l’air extérieur. Au cours de ce processus, le système capte la chaleur de l’air évacué et l’utilise pour préchauffer l’air entrant dans la maison. Les flux d'air (frais et extrait) ne se mélangent pas.
Ventilation à récupération d'énergie (VRE) est un système qui fait tout ce qu'un VRC fait, en plus de transférer l'humidité de l'air évacué vers l'air entrant dans la maison (en hiver) et de limiter l'humidité de l'air entrant (en été). Cela peut offrir un plus grand confort aux occupants en équilibrant les niveaux d’humidité à l’intérieur de la maison.

Types of Balanced Ventilation Systems

Heat Recovery Ventilator (HRV)

A Heat Recovery Ventilator (HRV) is an essential component in modern HVAC systems, particularly valued for its ability to improve indoor air quality and energy efficiency. This device works by exchanging the stale indoor air with fresh outdoor air, while simultaneously transferring heat between the streams to recover a significant portion of the energy that would be lost in the process. This heat exchange process is pivotal during colder months, as it pre-warms the incoming air, reducing the load on the heating system, and in turn, lowering energy costs. Furthermore, HRVs are designed to balance the indoor humidity levels, thereby mitigating issues such as mold growth and promoting a healthier living environment. As energy efficiency becomes increasingly paramount in building design, HRVs are gaining traction, aligning with standards and compliance directives focused on sustainable and efficient building practices.

Transfers sensible heat between incoming and outgoing airstreams. Ideal for heating-dominated climates where moisture removal isn’t critical.

Energy Recovery Ventilator (ERV)

An Energy Recovery Ventilator (ERV) is a sophisticated HVAC component designed to enhance indoor air quality and optimize energy efficiency in residential and commercial buildings. By utilizing a heat exchanger, an ERV captures thermal and latent energy from stale outgoing air and transfers it to fresh incoming air. This process moderates the temperature and humidity of the incoming air, reducing the load on heating and cooling systems and ultimately lowering energy consumption. ERVs are particularly beneficial in climates with significant humidity variations, as they efficiently manage moisture levels while maintaining ventilation. Integrating ERVs into HVAC systems not only promotes a comfortable indoor environment but also supports sustainable building practices by decreasing reliance on energy-intensive temperature conditioning.

Recovers both sensible and latent heat, managing humidity alongside temperature. Essential for hot, humid conditions or spaces with high moisture generation.

Dedicated Outdoor Air Systems (DOAS)

Dedicated Outdoor Air Systems (DOAS) are innovative HVAC solutions designed specifically to manage fresh air ventilation and improve indoor air quality across various building environments. Unlike traditional HVAC systems that combine heating, cooling, and ventilation, DOAS focus solely on bringing in and conditioning outdoor air independently from the temperature control processes. This separation allows for more precise humidity control and significant energy savings, as it enables the primary HVAC system to concentrate on space conditioning without the additional burden of ventilation loads. DOAS are particularly beneficial in modern, airtight buildings where maintaining the optimal exchange of fresh air is crucial for occupant comfort and health. By efficiently integrating heat recovery technologies, DOAS can further enhance sustainability by reducing the energy required to condition incoming air while simultaneously meeting or exceeding the latest industry standards for indoor air quality.