ScholarWorks@성균관대학교

초록

This study analyzed the theoretical correlation between building envelope airtightness and infiltration rates by comparing fan pressurization and tracer gas methods in single rooms of multi-zone building and single-zone houses. The focus was on quantitatively evaluating the impact of internal airflow pathways such as internal walls and structural joints on airtightness assessments. The results showed that in single-zone houses, the infiltration rates were closely aligned with the low-pressure region of the pressure–airflow curve derived from the fan pressurization method, confirming a clear theoretical correlation between the two indicators. In contrast, the infiltration rates in multi-zone buildings were consistently lower than the airflow rates measured using the fan pressurization method, with the discrepancy increasing in less airtight spaces. This finding reveals that the fan pressurization method measures not only leakage through the building envelope but also airflow through internal walls, which is a primary cause of airtightness overestimation in multi-zone buildings. Furthermore, window-sealing tests and smoke visualization experiments confirmed the presence of airflow between the internal walls. This study experimentally confirmed that the fan pressurization method tends to overestimate infiltration in multi-zone buildings, indirectly warning of potential inaccuracies in building performance simulations that rely on such measurements. Moreover, this is the first empirical study to compare fan pressurization and tracer gas methods across spatial configurations, specifically single-zone houses and single rooms in multi-zone buildings, thereby extending prior theoretical discussions through direct experimental evidence.

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