Model-Based Demand Control Ventilation for a Gun Range

Gun ranges in the United States are underinvestigated regarding indoor air quality (IAQ) and energy efficiency. Navy Environmental Health Center (NEHC), National Guard Bureau (NGB), and Air Force Civil Engineer Support Agency (AFCESA) recommend using 100% outdoor air, but this measure will cause prohibitive energy costs since indoor gun ranges must maintain a low air velocity ranging from 0.25 to 0.36 m/s and a supply temperature close to the range target temperature. Hence, typical commercial firing ranges use a fixed outdoor air ratio (OAR) ranging from 25% to 30% together with high-efficiency particulate air filtration to save energy. This OAR is arbitrary and not supported by any standards or guidelines. To obtain reliable control of contaminant levels and better energy efficiency, we propose a model-based demand control ventilation feedback control strategy in which carbon monoxide is monitored and controlled as a proper IAQ indicator around the clock. Our 52-day field study demonstrates that our demand control ventilation control strategy can ensure proper IAQ, reduce the OAR from 30% to as low as 2.5%, and cut up to 85% cooling load and 70% heating load introduced by ventilation.