How to solve the problem of selecting the appropriate air intake and exhaust in heat recovery systems?

Added: Wednesday, 11/23/2022


For the heat recovery system to fulfill its purpose, its installation must be based on a well-made ventilation design, with a correctly calculated demand for air exchange in the building. It's easy to say, but harder to put into practice. Unless you have the right products at your disposal.

Air intakes and exhausters for Vilpe recuperation systems

The system elements should guarantee low air flow resistance (so-called pressure drops), especially important at the air intake and exhaust. This is, of course, not everything, it is also important to select the appropriate high-efficiency recuperator, adapted to the building's requirements, as well as installing tight ventilation ducts in the rooms and soundproofing them. All stages of the implementation of the heat recovery system should be carefully designed and implemented so that in practice the system fulfills its function - constant air exchange with heat recovery, and therefore limited energy consumption for heating the building. Each good decision will have a positive impact on both its efficiency and the amortization time of system installation costs.

Air intakes and exhausters for Vilpe recuperation systems mounted on the roof Taking into account the technical conditions resulting from the construction law, the different location of the heat recovery machine, as well as the possibilities and limitations imposed by the location and character of the building, it sometimes happens that the selection of an appropriate air intake and exhaust device becomes a real challenge . However, we do not want to scare or discourage, on the contrary - regardless of the conditions, there are several proven options that will easily allow you to cope with it.

Roof air intake and exhaust

Optimal air discharge and intake from and to the recuperative machine located in the attic will be ensured by devices for vertical air discharge and supply through the roof. This is also an option when it is not possible to install wall devices. The solution in this case are VILPE FLOW ventilation chimneys and VILPE INTAKE Went roof vents - these long-lasting, failure-free devices designed and manufactured in Finland are characterized by excellent air flow parameters, ensuring low pressure drops . The products are light, made of batch-dyed, durable polypropylene. Their installation is quick and easy, and all the elements needed for installation are included in the package. Moreover, these devices are resistant to mechanical damage and weather conditions.

They are available in all popular roof covering colors, and their models and types of roof passages guarantee the possibility of installation on any type of pitched roof (just select the appropriate roof passage from a wide range of complementary VILPE products), as well as on the ventilation duct. The products are covered by a 20-year durability warranty, including a 10-year aesthetic warranty regarding color durability. The range of diameters and, therefore, efficiency in the case of FLOW exhausters - fi 125, 160, 200, 250, 315, 400, 500 and 630 mm - allows selection according to the power of the ventilation unit; the diameter of INTAKE Went - roof air intake is 160 mm.

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Effective water separation

Air intakes and exhausters for Vilpe recuperation systems mounted on the roof - close-up When selecting roof air intake and exhaust devices, it is worth paying attention to their appropriate height (according to the regulations, at least 0.4 m above the device installation line and the line connecting the highest points of the parts of the building protruding above the roof). The ability to drain rainwater and the correct insulation of the ventilation duct are also important, especially in the case of the exhaust, so that the warm air released in winter does not cause steam condensation and moisture accumulation in the ventilation duct. VILPE devices are designed to easily drain rainwater, while their height and design make them resistant to snow, hail and gusty winds . VILPE air intakes and launchers have been tested in harsh Nordic weather conditions and at very high temperatures. They have their own technical characteristics, so their proper selection, adapted to the requirements of a given building, is clear and simple.

Wall air intake and exhaust

If, for various reasons, we cannot use roof devices or their use is inconvenient or less than optimal due to the location of the ventilation unit, then we can use the wall air intake and outlet - VILPE IO . It is a modern product with a double function. Its design allows it to be used both as an air intake and as an air outlet. The VILPE IO device is available in four ventilation duct sizes: 125, 160, 200 and 250 mm. Thanks to the ability to adjust the air flow rate, the product has a wide range of applications and is suitable for any apartment of any size. Its design ensures safe air flow, without the possibility of drawing in rain, and also guarantees safe air discharge outside the building, without exposing the façade to dirt or water stains . The product is covered by a 20-year technical warranty, including a 10-year color durability warranty.

Two in one – a step into the future

What is interesting and not obvious, VILPE IO has been designed so that it can safely and effectively combine both ventilation functions at the same time, i.e. both inlet and outlet of used air in one universal device. The separation of ducts inside the device ensures that the exhaust air stream does not mix with the supply air. This solution operates successfully in Finland and in accordance with local regulations. It eliminates many design and implementation problems resulting from the nature of buildings (e.g. in multi-story buildings). Unfortunately, Polish construction law does not yet keep up with all the modern proposals available on the market. And we will have to wait a little longer for regulations in this area.

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