Method and system for testing airtightness of a building envelope
First Claim
1. A computer-implement method for testing airtightness of a building envelope, the method comprising:
- providing an air flow generator in a duct through the building envelope, wherein the air flow generator is switchable between a first flow rate and a second flow rate that differs from the first flow rate;
providing a differential pressure transducer configured to measure a relative building pressure between a building pressure at the inside of the building envelope, and a reference pressure of a pressure container that is coupled to the differential pressure transducer;
switching the air flow generator a plurality of times, during the testing, between the first flow rate and the second flow rate, thereby modulating the building pressure as a function of time between respective equilibrium pressure values at the first flow rate and the second flow rate, wherein the air flow generator is kept at the first flow rate or the second flow rate, after switching between the first flow rate and the second flow rate, at least until the respective equilibrium pressure values are reached;
recording the relative building pressure as a function of time during the switching; and
determining, based on the recorded relative building as a function of time, an amplitude of the pressure modulation between the respective equilibrium pressure values as a measure of the airtightness of the building envelope.
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Abstract
A method and system for testing airtightness of a building envelope (10). An air flow generator (21) is provided that is switchable between at least two different flow rates (Q0,Q1). The air flow generator (21) is repeatedly switched between a first flow rate (Q0) and a second flow rate (Q1) for modulating the building pressure (P1) as a function of time (t) between respective equilibrium pressure values at the first flow rate (Q0) and the second flow rate (Q1). The relative building pressure (ΔP) is measured by a differential pressure transducer (31) and recorded as a function of time (t). A pressure modulation amplitude (ΔPmodulation) is calculated for providing a measure of the airtightness.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A computer-implement method for testing airtightness of a building envelope, the method comprising:
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providing an air flow generator in a duct through the building envelope, wherein the air flow generator is switchable between a first flow rate and a second flow rate that differs from the first flow rate; providing a differential pressure transducer configured to measure a relative building pressure between a building pressure at the inside of the building envelope, and a reference pressure of a pressure container that is coupled to the differential pressure transducer; switching the air flow generator a plurality of times, during the testing, between the first flow rate and the second flow rate, thereby modulating the building pressure as a function of time between respective equilibrium pressure values at the first flow rate and the second flow rate, wherein the air flow generator is kept at the first flow rate or the second flow rate, after switching between the first flow rate and the second flow rate, at least until the respective equilibrium pressure values are reached; recording the relative building pressure as a function of time during the switching; and determining, based on the recorded relative building as a function of time, an amplitude of the pressure modulation between the respective equilibrium pressure values as a measure of the airtightness of the building envelope. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A system for testing airtightness of a building envelope, the system comprising:
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a differential pressure transducer configured to measure a relative building pressure as a function of time between; a building pressure at the inside of the building envelope, and a reference pressure of a pressure container that is coupled to the differential pressure transducer; an air flow generator providing an air flow in a duct through the building envelope, wherein the air generator is switchable between a first flow rate and a second flow rate that differs from the first flow rate; a switch for switching the air flow generator a plurality of times, during the testing, between the first flow rate and the second flow rate, thereby modulating the building pressure as a function of time between respective equilibrium pressure values at the first flow rate and the second flow rate, wherein the air flow generator is kept at the first flow rate or the second flow rate, after switching between the first flow rate and the second flow rate, at least until the respective equilibrium pressure values are reached; a non-transitory computer-readable memory configured to store; a time-series sequence of measured values for the relative building pressure as a function of time provided by the differential pressure transducer during the switching, and a computer-executable instructions; and a processor configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to perform a method comprising; reading the time-series sequence of measured values for the relative building pressure from the non-transitory memory; determining, based on the time-series sequence of measured values for the relative building pressure as a function of time, an amplitude of the modulation of the building pressure between respective equilibrium pressure values; and outputting a measure of the airtightness based on the amplitude of the modulation.
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Specification