Analysis of Ventilation Systems and Control Methods for Optimal Indoor Air Quality in School Buildings

Purpose: Recently, as the interest in particulate matter increased, standards for indoor air quality (IAQ) in schools have been strengthened. Among indoor air pollutants, the main issue for school IAQ is carbon dioxide (CO₂) and particulate matter (PM). To satisfy CO₂ and PM concentration standard, the mechanical ventilation is essential. However, most systems are operating without the optimal control methods which result in inefficient system operation. Thus, the purpose of this study is to analyze ventilation regulations, system and control methods to establish the theoretical basis for developing the optimal control algorithm. Method: Regulations and researches of school ventilation were compared by cases to identify deficiencies of ventilation systems. Result: Domestic regulations were insufficient for properly operating ventilation systems and for managing the indoor air quality compared to other countries. Most researches focused on reducing the energy consumption of the system and CO₂ concentration. Therefore, the optimal control algorithm for school ventilation system is required which considers various indoor air pollutant elements and supplies comfortable indoor air quality conditions.