Air Distribution and Air Handling Unit Configuration Effects on Energy Performance in an Air-Heated Ice Rink Arena

Mehdi Taebnia, Sander Toomla, Lauri Leppä and Jarek Kurnitski
Additional contact information
Mehdi Taebnia: Aalto University, Department of Civil Engineering, P.O. Box 12100, 00076 Aalto, Finland
Sander Toomla: Granlund Consulting Oy, Malminkaari 21, PL 59, 00701 Helsinki, Finland
Lauri Leppä: Leanheat Oy, Hiomotie 10, FI-00380 Helsinki, Finland
Jarek Kurnitski: Aalto University, Department of Civil Engineering, P.O. Box 12100, 00076 Aalto, Finland

Energies, 2019, vol. 12, issue 4, 1-21

Abstract: Indoor ice rink arenas are among the foremost consumers of energy within building sector due to their exclusive indoor conditions. A single ice rink arena may consume energy of up to 3500 MWh annually, indicating the potential for energy saving. The cooling effect of the ice pad, which is the main source for heat loss, causes a vertical indoor air temperature gradient. The objective of the present study is twofold: (i) to study vertical temperature stratification of indoor air, and how it impacts on heat load toward the ice pad; (ii) to investigate the energy performance of air handling units (AHU), as well as the effects of various AHU layouts on ice rinks’ energy consumption. To this end, six AHU configurations with different air-distribution solutions are presented, based on existing arenas in Finland. The results of the study verify that cooling energy demand can significantly be reduced by 38 percent if indoor temperature gradient approaches 1 °C/m. This is implemented through air distribution solutions. Moreover, the cooling energy demand for dehumidification is decreased to 59.5 percent through precisely planning the AHU layout, particularly at the cooling coil and heat recovery sections. The study reveals that a more customized air distribution results in less stratified indoor air temperature.

Keywords: ice rinks; air distribution solutions; indoor air temperature gradient; air handling unit configuration; building energy efficiency; building performance simulation; energy and HVAC-systems in buildings (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
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