Verplas Self-Seal Coupling Leakage Test Prepared for : Verplas Limited 25 February 2013 Page 1 of 11
Prepared by Name M Swainson Position Principal Engineer Date 25 th February 2013 Signature Approved on behalf of BRE Name D Butler Position Manager, HVAC Engineering Date 25 th February 2013 Signature BRE Garston WD25 9XX T + 44 (0) 1923 664000 F + 44 (0) 1923 664010 E enquiries@bre.co.uk www.bre.co.uk This report may only be distributed in its entirety and in accordance with the terms and conditions of the contract. Test results relate only to the items tested. BRE has no responsibility for the design, materials, workmanship or performance of the product or items tested. This report does not constitute an approval, certification or endorsement of the product tested. This report is made on behalf of BRE. By receiving the report and action on it, the client or any third party relying on it accepts that no individual is personally liable in contract, tort or breach of statutory duty (including negligence). Page 2 of 11
Contents 1 Introduction 4 2 Details of Tests carried out 5 3 Test Results 8 4 Conclusions 11 Page 3 of 11
1 Introduction Verplas Limited approached BRE to undertake testing of an innovative plastic duct coupling for air leakage. The performance specification for plastic duct used in ventilation applications is covered by the HVAC, DW/154, Specification for Plastic Ductwork, First Edition 2000. DW/154 refers to HVCA, DW/143, A Practical Guide to - Ductwork Leak Testing, Fifth Edition, 2000, which provides guidance on how testing of leakage should be undertaken. A proposal was prepared, submitted and accepted by Verplas Limited for testing to DW/154. The couplings submitted for testing were: Verplas System 125 Round Pipe to Fitting Self-Seal Couplings The couplings were delivered to BRE and were to be tested for air leakage to Class A, low pressure ducts as defined in DW/143. Page 4 of 11
2 Details of Tests carried out A set of air leakage tests were undertaken following the guidance set out in HVCA, DW/143, A Practical Guide to - Ductwork Leak Testing, Fifth Edition 2000. The test was undertaken to assess the leakage for Class A duct, low pressure. The duct layout used was taken from Test method for - Central mechanical supply and exhaust ventilation system packages with heat recovery used in a single dwelling. Version Date; 22/08/2008. V2.0. This test method defines duct layouts used for testing mechanical ventilation products used in dwellings in the UK. To test a sample of couplings, a representative duct layout for a typical UK dwelling was identified as a long branch duct with four terminals. The location of the couplings and duct seals is shown in Figure 1. 0.5m 1.0m Verplas Self-Sealing Couplings Duct ends sealed 0.5m 1.5m 1.5m 1.5m 1.5m Figure 1: Long branch duct with four terminals used for testing coupling air tightness. Verplas provided 15 samples of the 125 mm diameter Self-Seal Couplings and these were used to make up the test configuration shown in Figure 1. The Verplas Self-Seal Couplings supplied for this test were designed to fit between straight lengths of 125 mm diameter duct and fittings with male connections. The couplings can be seen with a straight and 90 bend in Figure 2. Page 5 of 11
Figure 2 : Verplas Self-Seal Couplings fitted between straight duct and 90 bend. Test instruments used during measurement of the air leakage rate. Variable Instrument used for measurement Calibration Date of calibration Air flow rate Duct pressures Brookes 5853E Chell Display CCD100 Furness Controls FCO332 Chell (UKAS) 25 th July 2012 Furness Controls (UKAS) 22 nd March 2012 The test layout of the duct prior to testing can be seen in Figure 3. No additional fixing or restraint was used on the ductwork as a check of the ability of the seals to prevent separation under pressure conditions. Page 6 of 11
Figure 3 : Test layout of duct with Verplas Self-Seal Couplings fitted between straight duct, 90 bends and Tee-Pieces. Page 7 of 11
3 Test Results The measured air flow rates during the leakage testing are shown in Table 1. Positive pressure Negative pressure Pressure applied (Pa) Air flow rate (l/s) Pressure applied (Pa) Air flow rate (l/s) 50 0.05 50 0.05 100 0.10 100 0.10 150 0.15 150 0.15 200 0.19 200 0.19 250 0.23 250 0.23 300 0.26 300 0.27 350 0.30 350 0.31 400 0.33 400 0.35 450 0.36 450 0.39 500 0.39 500 0.42 Table 1 Measured leakage rates The duct surface area was calculated as: 6 off, 1.5 m x 0.125 mm diameter ducts = 3.54 m 2. Page 8 of 11
DW/143 expresses the results as a function of duct surface area, therefore for the defined duct layout; long branched duct with four terminals, the leakage per meter square of duct are as shown in Table 2. Positive pressure Negative pressure DW/143 Maximum leakage for Class A ductwork Pressure applied (Pa) Leakage rate (l/s/m 2 ) Pressure applied (Pa) Leakage rate (l/s/m 2 ) Leakage rate (l/s/m 2 ) 50 0.01 50 0.01 0.34 100 0.03 100 0.03 0.54 150 0.04 150 0.04 0.70 200 0.05 200 0.05 0.85 250 0.07 250 0.07 0.98 300 0.07 300 0.08 1.10 350 0.08 350 0.09 1.22 400 0.09 400 0.10 1.33 450 0.10 450 0.11 1.43 500 0.11 500 0.12 1.53 Table 2 Calculated leakage rate per unit area of duct. Page 9 of 11
2.0 Leakage (l/s/m 2 ) 1.8 1.6 Air flow rate - Verplas Connectors (l/s/m²) DW143 Leakage Class A (l/s/m²) [htitle] 1.4 1.2 1.0 0.8 0.6 Building Research Establishment Ltd [autoyear] Page 10 of 11 0.4 0.2 0.0-500 -450-400 -350-300 -250-200 -150-100 -50 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450 500 Static pressure (Pa) Figure 4 : Leakage rate of Verplas Self-Seal Couplings compared to maximum leakage for Class A ductwork.
4 Conclusions From the measured leakage rates presented in Table 2 and Figure 4, it is evident that the Verplas Self- Seal Couplings achieved a level of leakage substantially lower than the maximum allowed for Class A duct as defined in DW/143. At all positive and negative pressures in the tests, there was no sign of the duct seals separating, indicating that they are able to withhold positive and negative pressures up to 500 Pa, without requiring additional restraint. ==============REPORT ENDS============= Page 11 of 11