Senseware recently introduced its Air Duct IAQ System, which it describes as a unique and novel indoor air quality solution designed to directly monitor the air moving through HVAC ducts.
The “Air Duct Mounting System allows for the highest accuracy measurements of your CO2, VOC [volatile organic compound], and PM [particulate matter] levels,” the company explains. “Air is captured from the entire space as it is pulled through the return ducts. It is also possible to monitor the filtered air provided to the spaces through the supply ducts. The Air Duct IAQ System is in highest demand for office buildings as more companies return to in-person working.”
Senseware custom designs the system’s mounts to fit the width of a property owner’s air duct, thereby ensuring maximum monitoring potential. The enclosure features a Senseware IAQ unit fitted into an airtight casing mounted directly on a supply or return vent via 1-1/16-inch drilled holes. Perforated pipes extend into the air duct from the back of the mount, creating a pressure differential that continuously pulls air across the IAQ to be analyzed by air quality sensors.
By default, the IAQ monitors the temperature, humidity, CO2, VOCs, and PM; custom solutions can be built to include monitoring for other toxic gases such as formaldehyde and ozone. Because the Air Duct IAQ System can monitor the air from a return vent, which contains air gathered from throughout the entire space, a comprehensive and accurate picture of the overall indoor air quality in the space can be developed, Senseware states.“As we have come to see via research and testing, data from a standard IAQ device can be limited by the location it is installed in,” the company explains. “Naturally occurring air currents in the space define what a sensor can detect. As air moves in dynamic patterns which are dictated by the layout of the space and the location of the HVAC vents, there are oftentimes imbalances in the overall distribution of air from ventilation systems: some areas may have fast-moving and frequently changed air, while other areas may have stale stagnant air. Certain pockets of air may therefore have higher levels of irritants, while others will measure as clean air. The new Air Duct IAQ System is specifically designed to overcome this problem.”
The company adds that the system can provide thorough monitoring of a space in two different ways. “By mounting on an air return duct that contains air that is gathered from throughout the entire space, the IAQ measures overall levels of pollutants and irritants, rather than just taking data from select pockets of air,” Senseware says. “This incredibly accurate method of monitoring allows you to have a comprehensive picture of the overall indoor air quality in your space. Additionally, mounting the system on a supply duct allows you to analyze the quality of the air that is being delivered in your space before it encounters any sources of pollution so that you can ensure that your HVAC system is providing clean and filtered air to your building.”
