Air Infiltration into

Buildings by Natural
Means

Air Infiltration
Air entering a building can be due to:
Infiltration through cracks round
windows, door, etc
Air flow through ventilation openings
Caused by wind-flow or variation
between the internal air temperature
and external temperature producing
what is termed stack effect

 The actual amount of air flowing into the

building will depend upon the pressure
difference between the inside and outside.
Pressure difference is produced by the
action of the wind flow around the building.
The pressure is caused by a difference in
the density of the internal and external air.
This difference in pressure being due to the
phenomenon that the warm air is less
dense than cold air.

Calculation of Infiltration
2 methods
Calculations based upon the leakage
characteristics of the structure and
pressure differences (crack method)
Calculations based upon an assumed
number of air change per hour

Pressure due to Wind Flow

The relationship between wind
pressure and wind velocity can be
obtained from Bernoullis equation:
Wind Pressure, Pw = v2/2
where = air density; v = wind
velocity
BRE gives Pw = 0.613 v2 Pa
where v is m/s

Air Flow Through Openings

From experiments it has been found
that the rate of air flow is
approximately proportional to the
square root of the pressure
difference .
IHVE Guide gives the expression as:
V=0.827 A (p)0.5
where V = rate of air flow (m3/s); A
= area of opening (m2) and p=
pressure difference across the

Infiltration does not take place through a

single opening but that it is more likely
that there will be a number of openings.
Where the openings are in parallel, the
above equation change to the form:
V=0.827 (A) (p)0.5 m3/s
And where the openings are in series:
V=0.827 [A1A2An/(A12 + A22 + An2)0.5] (p)0.5
m3/s

 Since there was a relationship between wind

pressure and velocity Pw = v2/2, then it follows
that the pressure difference can be expressed
as a function of the wind velocity squared.
Also shown that that the flow of air through the
openings is proportional to the squared root of
the pressure difference, then by combining
these two relationship it is possible to obtain an
expression for the flow of air in terms of the
wind velocity i.e:
V = constant x A x v

 ASHRAE expressed as: V = Eav

where V = air flow; A = area of inlet;
v = wind velocity; E effectiveness
of openings, having a value between
0.5 and 0.6 for the case where wind
is acting at right angles to the face of
the openings.

 Where the wind is blowing 450 to the

inlet face then ASHRAE propose that
the value should be reduced by 50
%.

Exercise
A building is subjected to a wind
velocity of 4m/s with the wind
blowing at right angles to one face.
A total inlet area is 2m2 is situated on
the windward face and a total outlet
area of 2m2 is on the leeward face.
Calculate the ventilation rate.
Assume E = 0.6

 A building is situated in a city centre

and is 20m high. A total inlet area of
1m2 is situated on the windward face
and a similar outlet area on the
leeward face. Calculate the
ventilation rate given the pressure
difference as 11 pascal.