TY - GEN
T1 - Life-cycle assessment (LCA) of air-handling units with and without air-to-air energy exchangers
AU - Nyman, Mikko
AU - Simonson, Carey J.
PY - 2004
Y1 - 2004
N2 - The life-cycle assessment (LCA) methodology is used in this paper to
assess the environmental effects of air-handling units (AHU) over a
20-year life cycle. This assessment is based on quantifying the
consumption of resources (energy and materials), the harmful emissions
into the environment (air, water, and soil), and the potential changes
in the environment (climate change, acidification, and ozone
production). A normal AHU, with a face velocity of 3 m/s (600 fpm), and a
small AHU, with a face velocity of 4 m/s (800 fpm), are investigated
with and without two types of air-to-air energy exchangers (plate and
rotating wheel). The research demonstrates the following benefits of
air-to-air energy exchangers: reduced energy consumption, reduced
emissions to the environment, and reduced potential harmful changes in
the environment. For both of the AHUs studied, these benefits are
several times greater than the burdens arising from the production and
operation of the AHU, where the function of the AHU is to provide 2000
L/s (4200 cfm) of outdoor air to the building space for 2500 h/year, but
not to condition this air. A larger AHU with an air-to-air energy
exchanger of higher efficiency has the smallest harmful effect on the
environment.
AB - The life-cycle assessment (LCA) methodology is used in this paper to
assess the environmental effects of air-handling units (AHU) over a
20-year life cycle. This assessment is based on quantifying the
consumption of resources (energy and materials), the harmful emissions
into the environment (air, water, and soil), and the potential changes
in the environment (climate change, acidification, and ozone
production). A normal AHU, with a face velocity of 3 m/s (600 fpm), and a
small AHU, with a face velocity of 4 m/s (800 fpm), are investigated
with and without two types of air-to-air energy exchangers (plate and
rotating wheel). The research demonstrates the following benefits of
air-to-air energy exchangers: reduced energy consumption, reduced
emissions to the environment, and reduced potential harmful changes in
the environment. For both of the AHUs studied, these benefits are
several times greater than the burdens arising from the production and
operation of the AHU, where the function of the AHU is to provide 2000
L/s (4200 cfm) of outdoor air to the building space for 2500 h/year, but
not to condition this air. A larger AHU with an air-to-air energy
exchanger of higher efficiency has the smallest harmful effect on the
environment.
M3 - Conference article in proceedings
VL - 1
T3 - ASHRAE Transactions
SP - 399
EP - 408
BT - 2004 Winter Meeting, Anaheim, CA
ER -
