Performance testing of complete ventilation units

A facility for performance testing of ventilation systems for livestock buildings has been in operation since 1978 at the National Institute of Agricultural Engineering (NIAE), SjF Bygholm in Denmark. As a result of cooperation between NIAE and the manufacturers of ventilation equipment, the energy efficiency of ventilation units has improved significantly during the operational period. During the last few years initial costs have become more important than energy efficiency, however, and the test results show that manufacturers convert some of the energy efficiency into higher air flow capacities. In this article the test facility and the testing procedures are described and some of the results are summarized.