Year-round energy saving potential of stratum ventilated classrooms with temperature and humidity control

The energy performances of three types of ventilation systems, namely the mixing, displacement, and stratum ventilation systems, are compared when applied to a traditional class, a study group, and an E-learning class in a school. A solid desiccant dehumidification cycle, coupled with a solar heat collecting system, is employed to faciliate the humidity control in the displacement and stratum ventilation systems. Meanwhile, a higher design coefficient of performance for the chillers is adopted in view of the possibility to apply the systems to the entire school. It was found that the stratum ventilation systems are the best among the three ventilation systems investigated, particularly when applied to a study group class and a E-learning class, which represent a trend in school education development. With promising results even without solar provision, the stratum ventilation systems could be a good choice for use in the schools in Hong Kong. © 2013 Taylor and Francis Group, LLC.