Design and Construction of Measurement Device for Ventilation Rate and Airflow Direction in Living Space
摘要
Ventilation control within interior spaces helps in alleviating the spread of airborne diseases. This research presents a new device design that can effectively measure the ventilation rate and detect airflow direction efficiently in household spaces. The device incorporates twin Mass Airflow (MAF) sensors based on hot wire anemometry. These sensors are mounted strategically within a 10 cm long PVC pipe to detect bidirectional airspeed. They are connected to an Arduino Uno controller, and the system integrates the sensor data to calculate the ventilation rate in liters per second (L/s) by multiplying the air speed with the pipe's cross-sectional area. Experimental observation indicates the reliability of the system in having a mean error rate of 0% when capturing velocity, precision as a measure of standard deviation of 0.1 m/s, freedom from hysteresis error, and a sensitivity of 1.4 V per meter per second (V/(m/s)). Second, the two-sensor design facilitates the effective measurement of airflow direction and offers an important dimension of the dynamics of indoor air motion. This research advances the technical frontiers of environmental monitoring. It provides a valuable tool for public health initiatives that aim to control the transmission of infectious aerosols in highly populated indoor settings.