EVALUATION OF THE PERFORMANCE OF A SMART FAN FILTER UNIT IN IMPROVING IAQ

Abstract

The performance of a Smart Fan Filter Unit (FFU) in mitigating haze and the resultant hazardous Particulate Matter (PM) levels which affect Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) was assessed in this study. This was examined in a naturally ventilated test-bed environment under trans-boundary haze conditions. The FFU employed provides Air Exchange Rate (ACH) of 4.66 h-1 which aids in improving IAQ. Indoor particle characteristics such as indoor/outdoor ratio (I/O ratio) and filtration efficiency have been used as methods of measuring the benefits provided by the FFU in a naturally ventilated space that is vulnerable to haze. The computed I/O ratio and filtration efficiency suggest that indoor infiltration of PM was significantly reduced due to the use of FFU. The FFU was able to achieve maximum filtration efficiency of 73% for particles sized 2.5 μm. The effectiveness of the FFU in its satisfactory performance can be attributed to its well-designed filtration and exfiltration mechanisms. The FFU’s ability to provide thermal comfort indoors was also explored in this study. The sensor performance of the FFU was measured using Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) for a more in-depth assessment of FFU performance. In summary, this dissertation emphasises the ability of the smart FFU in combatting indoor infiltration of haze by assessing its performance in terms of IAQ, thermal comfort and PM mitigation. The FFU’s role of providing clean air in a naturally ventilated space is highlighted and the study provides an alternative approach for haze mitigation strategies which can be applied during haze episodes.