“We are certified” is the most repeated — and most abused — phrase in Chinese HVAC exports. Here is how to verify it before you pay. CE marking A bare CE sticker is often a self-declaration (Module A) and proves little. For pressurised plate exchangers, ask whether the supplier complies with the Pressure Equipment Directive […]
EN 16798: Ventilation Requirements and Energy Recovery in Buildings
What EN 16798 Covers The EN 16798 series (which replaced EN 15251) sets the framework for indoor environmental quality and the energy performance of ventilation and building services. It defines how much ventilation is needed and, through the accompanying energy requirements, when recovery is effectively mandatory. Energy Recovery in the Standard Where outdoor-air rates are […]
Eurovent Certification for Energy Recovery Equipment
What Eurovent Certification Is Eurovent certification is an independent, third-party verification that a manufacturer’s published energy-recovery performance matches tested results. Certified products appear in a public directory with their verified ratings. Why It Reduces Risk Recovery effectiveness is easy to overstate in a brochure. Certification against a method such as EN 308 gives buyers a […]
How to Read an Air-to-Air Heat Exchanger Test Report
Start With the Test Standard First confirm which standard the report uses — AHRI 1060 or EN 308. The method defines the conditions, so a number from one standard is not directly comparable to a number from another. Sensible vs Total Effectiveness Read both sensible (temperature) and total (enthalpy) effectiveness. A plate exchanger only reports […]
AHRI 1060: Rating Air-to-Air Energy Recovery Ventilation Equipment
What AHRI 1060 Covers AHRI 1060 is the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute standard that rates air-to-air energy recovery ventilation (ERV) and heat recovery ventilation (HRV) equipment. It defines how manufacturers must test and report the performance that buyers actually compare: sensible effectiveness, total (enthalpy) effectiveness, rated airflow, external static pressure, and supply- and exhaust-side […]
EN 308: Air-to-Air Heat-Transfer Test Methods
Purpose of EN 308 EN 308 is the European standard that specifies test procedures for air-to-air heat transfer in heat recovery equipment. Rather than setting a pass/fail threshold, it defines how to measure temperature effectiveness and, for enthalpy devices, moisture effectiveness under controlled inlet conditions. What Gets Measured The test fixes inlet dry-bulb temperatures and, […]
GB/T 21087: China’s Standard for Air-to-Air Energy Recovery Devices
Scope of GB/T 21087 GB/T 21087 is China’s national standard for air-to-air energy recovery devices. It covers the common recovery types used in Chinese and exported equipment: plate (recuperative), rotary wheel (regenerative), heat-pipe, and run-around coil systems. What It Specifies The standard defines classification, technical requirements, test methods, inspection rules, and marking or labeling. It […]
Psychrometric Processes in Heat Recovery: What Happens on the Chart
Four basic processes On the psychrometric chart, ventilation air moves along predictable lines: Heating: horizontal line to the right (dry-bulb up, moisture constant). Sensible cooling: horizontal line to the left (dry-bulb down, moisture constant). Humidification: line upward (more moisture). Dehumidification: line downward (condensation, latent heat released). Sensible recovery = a move along the constant-humidity line […]
The epsilon-NTU Method: Predicting Heat Exchanger Performance
Effectiveness, the practical metric Effectiveness (epsilon) is the ratio of actual heat transferred to the maximum thermodynamically possible: epsilon = actual_heat_transfer / (Cmin x (Thot_in – Tcold_in)) It is the number you see quoted as “70% efficient” for a recovery core, and it is directly related to the efficiency metrics reported for air-to-air units. NTU: […]
Dew Point and Frost Point: The Temperatures That Decide Core Survival
Dew point: where water appears The dew point is the temperature at which air, cooled at constant pressure and humidity, becomes saturated and water begins to condense. If a recovery core surface drops below the exhaust dew point, condensate forms on it – normal in cooling duty, a design input for drainage. Frost point: where […]