The project aims to analyze air quality and energy consumption in an aircraft hangar used part-time for painting military planes. The team will (1) determine current energy usage, (2) calculate potential savings from reducing fan use, and (3) find how long VOC levels take to drop to safe levels. A simulation analysis using ANSYS will model VOC dispersion over time. Experimental analysis using a rented ProCheck TIGER sensor placed in the hangar will collect VOC concentration data during painting, drying, and non-painting. Results show VOC levels drop to safe levels within 7 minutes. Demand controlled ventilation could save $20,043 per month in winter by reducing fan usage to 50%. The $22,400 system
2. Sponsor:
College of Engineering
Faculty Mentor:
Li Song
Company Mentor:
Aruna Abhayagoonawardhana
Group Members:
Sara Bondy
Kyle Mcgee
Bridget Taylor
Tyler Totten
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4. The Facility
● Hangar Function:
• Secondary
Paint/Stencil facility for Military
Planes
• Painting only done
10% of the time
• 100% outside air
intake
• Heating needed
during winter
• Eight fans run 100%
of the time
• Has a non-painting 4
5. Deliverables Required
● Determine current energy
consumption
● Calculate potential savings from
reducing number of fans in use
● Find time it takes for the room to
clear of VOC’s within safe range
● Make recommendations to Tinker
on how to implement demand
controlled ventilation
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6. Deliverables Required
6
Determine
time for a
return on DCV
investment
Demand
Controlled
Ventilation
(DCV)
Determine
SAFE VOC
levels
Find highest
concentration
location
Prove VOC
level will
remain at a
SAFE level
FEASIBILITY
Determine
potential
savings
SAFETY
7. Volatile Organic Compounds
● Volatized: released in vapor form
● Negative effect on human health
● 400+ varieties of VOCs
● Emitted from
o paints
o paint strippers
● VOC limits for aerosol are 150 PPM
over a 6 hour period
● Photoionization detector
● 10.6 eV Krypton Lamp
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8. Demand Controlled Ventilation
• Standard vent. systems control vent. from
preset “worst-case” scenarios
• Too little vent. breathing in pollutants
• Too much vent. energy waste
• DCV continuously controls ventilation
• VOC sensors will control ventilation mode
inside hangar
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12. Technical Approach
Objective: Prove the SAFETY and FEASIBILITY of implementing
Simulation Analysis Experimental Analysis
Create CAD Models
Place sensor inside hangar
Run simulation to find VOC
concentration
Record and analyze data
Calculate amount of time that is needed for
the VOC’s to dissipate to a safe level
Make recommendations for demand
controlled ventilation
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Demand Controlled Ventilation
13. Create CAD models
for aircraft and the
hangar
Simulation Analysis
Objective: Create a model to analyze the VOC distribution inside the hangar
and to verify results from the experimental portion
13
Calculate amount of
time that is needed for
the VOC’s to dissipate
to a safe level
Calculate VOC
concentration during
paint mode and non-
paint mode
Find the highest VOC
concentration location
14. Current Conditions
● Four Inlet fans with an airspeed velocity of
40 m/s
● Two outlet vents with two fans in each
operating at 101 Pa
● Each fan operates at 80 HP
● VOC’s are emitted from the center of the
hanger at a velocity of 25 m/s
● Paint guns operate between 689 and 827
kPa
● Between .517 and .3878 grams of VOC are
released per liter of air
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15. Building Specs
Dimensions:
Hangar: 63.1m X 50.6m X 18.29m
Inlet Vents: 2m X 2m
Filter: 7.62m X 8.6m
Cross Sectional Area:
Hangar: 1154.1 m2
Vent: 4 * 4 m2 = 16 m2
Filter: 65.5 m2
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17. Assumptions
Option Setting Validation
Bay Doors Closed Confirmed via Tinker
Pressure 1 atm Confirmed via Meter
Room/Fluid
Temperature
18°C Confirmed via Specs
Heat Transfer Model Isothermal Marginal Impact
Pressure Average Whole Outlet Marginal Impact
Wall Roughness Smooth Confirmed via Visit
Filtered Exhaust Ports Both in Operation Dependent
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24. VOC Diffusion Simulation Timeline
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3 Minutes and 20 Seconds 5 Minutes
6 Minutes and 40 Seconds
● Time Step: 1 Second
● Intervals: 100
● Time Steps/Interval: 20
● Total Diffusal Time: Approx. 7 Minutes
25. Purchase Sensor and
Install inside hangar
Experimental analysis
Objective: Install a data logging sensor and analyze the VOC concentration
inside the hangar to verify the installation of demand controlled ventilation.
25
Create cost analysis
for implementation of
demand controlled
ventilation.
Analyze data collected
Collect data during
painting, drying, and
non-paint mode
26. Barriers in Testing
• Class 1 Div. 1 area: Hazardous locations w/ flammable gases
•Equipment entering the hangar must be explosive proof
•Anything left inside hangar is covered in Paint
•Limited battery life of Portable sensors
•Limited access to hangar facility
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27. Refined Test Approach:
ProCheck TIGER
Pros Cons
Class 1 Div. 1 certified Can only rent due to cost
Wireless Battery lasts 16 hours
Built in data logger
VOC Range 1 PPB to
20,000 PPM
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28. Experimental Setup
• Sensor was placed against
exhaust fan
• Tripod was used to support
sensor
• Velcro straps used to mount
sensor to tripod
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30. Experimental Results
n= Number of Air Exchanges per Hour
Q= Volumetric Flow Rate
V= Volume of air inside Hangar
From this we found that the air inside the hangar
will be exchanged every 24.3 minutes.
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35. INVESTMENT COST /
RECOVERY
• $20,043.43 (heating) + $5,923.00 (fans) = $25,966.00 Average Winter Monthly Savings
• Hardware Investment cost will be recovered 1 month after DCV installation
* Installation costs not included in estimate
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Item Cost/Unit Quantity Part Total Cost
RAEGuard II Sensor $5,000.00 4 $20,000.00
HA-40 Controller $2,400.00 1 $2,400.00
Est. TOTAL COST $22,400.00
