Analysis and application of international standards for air distribution performance in HVAC systems: a case study for laboratory design at Brofer

This dissertation presents a comprehensive review of international standards for air distribution systems, that is, air velocity measurement and performance testing of air terminal devices (ATDs) in mixed-flow ventilation applications. The study is grounded on European (EN 12238, EN 12239, EN 12599, EN 13182, BS 4773, EN 13779) and American (ASHRAE 55, ASHRAE 62.1) regulations to set the technical requirements and measurement procedure that can be used for the design, testing, and categorization of ATDs. For use in an internship at Brofer, a company involved in the HVAC trade, the research facilitates the development of a laboratory environment suitable for standards-compliant testing. Key information discussed pertains to planning laboratory configurations, specifying plenum box sizes, selecting instrumentation, and the process of taking air velocity measurements. Practical applications are taken into consideration, particularly with regard to the manner in which air diffusers must be tested for purposes of matching comfort and efficiency criteria as set by the standards. The thesis also explores airflow characteristic relationships (e.g., throw, spread, rise/drop, pressure drop) and human comfort and proposes a methodology for testing a test protocol aligned with regulatory standards. The results are both a technical foundation for future laboratory operation by Brofer and a case study in aligning theoretical standards with practical engineering design.