The Relevance of Earth Air Tunnel Heat Exchanger (EATHE) for School Buildings

Green School Design Conference

presenter: for : date : Neeraj Kapoor Sustainable Design Practices for Schools in India Hanifl Centre for Outdoor Studies, Woodstock School, Mussoorie Saturday, April 17th, 2010

Kalpakrit Sustainable Environments Pvt. Ltd. of 17

Our Immediate Environment: Comfort in Buildings

As lifestyle aspirations evolve for the middle class India, we have started seeing air conditioning getting installed largely as an additional facility. Its usually used only during certain times and that forms the basis of a mixed mode operational approach.

Air Conditioning Evap. Cooling Nat. Vent. / Night Flushing Ceiling Fans Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec

AC used for 6 hrs a day for 45 days (270 hrs a year )

Ceiling fans through out summer

Graphic & Source: Ashok Lall Architects office space comfort systems usage pattern, New Delhi

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Changing Expectations in Thermal Comfort

Basic

Cool ~ Cold ~ Outright Chilly

Source: Ashok B. Lall Architects

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Changing Means to meet Comfort Expectations

As India develops economically there is a rising trend toward adopting refrigerant based air conditioning for indoor comfort.

Air Conditioning Evap. Cooling Nat. Vent./ Night Flushing Ceiling Fans Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec

Graphic & Source: Adaptation of the graphic to represent contemporary trend in Institutional Buildings in India

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Alternatively, theres . . . Adaptive Comfort

The Adaptive comfort model accounts for our physiological capacities to adapt to a wider range of temperature and humidity conditions in real life than those that are assumed to be the idealized limits established by laboratory experiments or even steady state standards.

Graphic & Source: Acceptable operative temperature ranges for naturally conditioned spaces, ASHRAE 55 - 2004

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Adaptive Comfort versus Steady State

Hot Dry season (RH < 60%): Not Uncomfortable at 30C. Warm Humid season (RH = 65% to 70%): Not Uncomfortable at 28C.

Adaptive / Reasonable
Image Source: Ashok B. Lall Architects

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Forced Air Distribution versus Natural Stratification

Forced Air: 12.5 - 14C

UFAD/ Stratified: 15.5 18.5C

Source: # web #

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Introducing . . . Earth Air Tunnel Heat Exchanger

Temperature of earth below 4m remains relatively less variant through the year. This characteristic is helpful in providing preconditioned air by passing it through tunnels, thus reducing the cooling capacity of the primary plant equipment.

Each tunnel to be 90m long to handle 12000 CFM approx. depending on 900mm wide tunnel. Slow Speed system: Air quantity based on 6 ACH in Peak Summer and 3 ACH in Monsoon & Winter. Displacement Ventilation for natural stratification of air column.

Source: Kalpakrit Sustainable Environments

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EATHE must go with Displacement Ventilation

Outside air is first cooled & then let to naturally stratify as it picks up heat.
29C to 33C

25C to 29C

21C to 24C

Source: Nirmal Gupta Consultants; Original Source: # web #

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Relevance vis--vis Schools . . . Air Quality!

Source: # web #

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For Students

Health Comfort Environment conducive to better performance Sense of accomplishment, sensitivity and ownership towards environmental initiatives.

Source: # web #

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Comfort & Energy Efficiency when used with . . . .

Evaporative cooler in hot dry season Refrigerant based cooling hybridized to condense water out of the air Thermal Energy Storage for managing peak loads, and differential utility tariff structures.

Air Conditioning Evap. Cooling Nat. Vent./ Night Flushing EATHE Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec

Graphic: Adaptation of the graphic to represent use of EATHE

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CASE 1: School, Gurgaon, NCR Energy Efficiency Potential

Source: Kalpakrit Sustainable Environments

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CASE 2: School, Delhi Energy Efficiency Potential

Source: Kalpakrit Sustainable Environments

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CASE 1: School, Gurgaon, NCR Operational Cost Savings Potential

Source: Kalpakrit Sustainable Environments

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CASE 2: School, Delhi Operational Costs Savings Potential

Source: Kalpakrit Sustainable Environments

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Laundry List of Factors Influencing Performance

Tunnel Material Tunnel Diameter Tunnel Location Tunnel Depth Earth Temperature Tunnel Length Soil Properties

THANK YOU !

Housing in the Everglades

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