COVID-19 APPLICATION NOTE

THE IMPORTANCE OF MEASURING AND MANAGING AIRFLOW

Teacher in an empty classroom during corona virus crisisAirflow plays a vital role in mitigating the spread of COVID-19. Studies throughout the world have pointed to the need for measuring and managing airflow in HVAC systems. In a recent article by McKinsey’s Advanced Industries Practice group, the authors wrote, “given the concerns about airborne transmission, building managers, safety experts, and others might take steps to optimize ventilation and airflow indoors and limit viral spread.” The article endorses “introducing sophisticated airflow-control systems, such as those that are sensitive to pressure, to allow for smoother adjustment of airflows.” The publication Lab Manager points out that similarly, “the COVID-19 pandemic has served to highlight the importance of airflow as well as anemometers and airflow measurement and monitoring tools to keep people safe and minimize hazards.”

Ventilation systems worldwide are being evaluated and improved with a focus on increasing effective health measures and indoor air quality. But how do you know your air is flowing? Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning engineers at a recent college visit told us that they found that airflow levels were not meeting design specifications over the school year. The installation airflow technology used in their building management systems allowed them to identify blockages caused by particulate buildup or by vents covered by students and faculty.

NJK Precision is renowned for its exact and precise airflow measurement technology, revealing even extremely low airflows that other technologies fail to detect. NJK Precision’s patented dual-chambered airfoil design can measure ductwork airflow with minimal duct lead-in or lead-out while operating accurately. Thanks to our innovative use of single mass airflow “thin film” sensing probes – a technology used for years in high-accuracy applications, like universities and labs – NJK Precision products can read accurately down to extremely low flows.