Development of a controllable air passage system for integration into window frame extensions or walls

In recent years, air hygiene became an increasingly important topic of research. Due to the use of very efficient insulation methods, many new and refurbished houses have a reduced air flow caused by missing leakages. If these houses are not ventilated in the correct way, mold formation can be caused. This paper describes a recently developed controllable air passage, which can be integrated into window frame extensions and that allows circulation of sufficient air inside rooms to prevent mold formation. The main requirements for typical air passage systems are introduced. Most technical requirements are based on the new DIN 1946-6 standard, which regulates e.g. the minimum air exchange rate of buildings to guarantee their air quality. Further requirements, for commercial viability of the system, are also described. To meet these requirements, the system was segmented in different modules. For each module, several options for hardware implementation were tested. The most promising are presented in this paper, including simulation and test-measurement data. Also, the simulation results of an apartment with installed air passage systems are included.