Highjacking of Hard-Earned Energy Savings Through The Backdoor-Combustion Air Requirements in Fossil Fuel Installations

摘要

Fossil fuels—coal, fuel oil, natural gas, etc.—used in space heating, cooling, processing, and power plants require an appropriate amount of air for complete combustion. It is quite normal to provide some amount of excess air to ensure this process so that there are absolutely no unburnt or partially burnt fuel elements in the exhaust, as would be indicated by carbon monoxide (CO) and sulphur oxide (SO) in the exhaust flue analysis. The supply of this required quantity of air, either from louvered openings to the outside via mechanical supply fans or from the air inside a building, is governed by local / state building codes, national codes such as NFPA 31 / 54, or international building codes (IBCs). In New York City, the inspection and enforcement of the requirements have been under the jurisdiction of the NYC Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). Any plant with incomplete combustion products could be harmful to the environment, and any leak of CO within a facility could be fatal to those working in the area. At the same time, any outside air brought in that exceeds the needs of the plant will lead to inefficiencies and other problems. This article is about the inefficiencies that could result when going overboard with respect to air supply. This aspect seems to have been completely beyond the radar of energy conscious LEED/CEM building energy professionals. While efforts have been focused on the building envelope (walls, windows, roofs, etc.), equipment efficiencies, etc., the boiler rooms, typically located in basements, have not come under the same microscopic examination from an energy efficiency/ savings point of view.