Frost reduction in mechanical balanced ventilation by efficient means of preheating cold supply air

Abstract

This study has focused on evaluating the financial potential of wastewater and geothermal heat recovery systems in a multi-family building. The recovered heat was used to improve the performance of mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (MVHR) system during the coldest days in central Sweden. The main issue, which was targeted with these solutions, was to reduce frost formation in the system and hence increase its thermal efficiency. By looking at the life cycle cost over a lifespan of 20 years, the observed systems were being evaluated economically. Furthermore, statistical analyses were carried-out to counter the uncertainty that comes with the calculation. It was found that the studied wastewater systems have a high possibility of generating savings in this period, while the one fed by geothermal energy is less likely to compensate for its high initial cost. All designed systems however, managed to reduce operational cost by 35-45% due to lower energy usage.