Complete Guide to Ventilation Dampers
Ventilation systems are integral to the safety and operation of all types of buildings. From commercial offices and warehouses to shopping centres/malls, hospitals and factories, ventilation dampers perform a crucial role in maintaining safe and comfortable building standards.
Brought to you by HAS-Vent, leading UK specialists in ventilation system products, this guide shall explore the purpose, types and applications of dampers for HVAC systems. For further advice and enquiries, contact our specialist team, today.
What are Ventilation Dampers?
Ventilation dampers are critical components in the design and function of building ventilation systems. Dampers act like valves for ventilation systems, allowing for controlled direction and volume of airflow through air ducts.
The term ventilation dampers can be used to describe any number of specific damper types; from volume control and backdraft damping to fire and smoke dampers, the exact type and function of a HVAC damper can vary significantly depending on its required purpose in a building’s ventilation design.
Why are ventilation dampers used?
The control of airflow through a building is incredibly important for building safety and maintenance. Whether planning or redesigning the HVAC system for a new or existing building, opting for high-quality, purpose-appropriate dampers is an effective decision to ensure occupant comfort and safety compliance.
Key reasons dampers are used:
Airflow Control:
- Balancing Airflow: Dampers allow for precise control of airflow distribution within a building, ensuring that each zone receives the appropriate amount of air.
- Energy Efficiency: By regulating airflow, dampers can help optimize the performance of HVAC systems, reducing energy consumption.
- Comfort Control: Dampers can be used to adjust airflow to maintain comfortable temperature and humidity levels in different areas of a building.
Safety:
- Fire and Smoke Control: Fire and smoke dampers automatically close in response to a fire alarm or high temperature, preventing the spread of fire and smoke through ductwork.
- Backdraught Prevention: Backdraught dampers prevent the backflow of air into a room, which can occur when there is a sudden pressure change, such as when an exhaust fan turns off.
Improved Building operations:
- Sound/Noise Attenuation: By controlling the airflow through ventilation ducts, noise/sound transmission can be minimised and controlled as required.
Got a ventilation problem you need a solution to? Our specialists have the knowledge, products and experience to support you. Whether designing a new HVAC system for your building, or modifying/repairing an existing system, contact our team today for advice and support.
What types of ventilation dampers are there?
As leading suppliers of dampers and ventilation duct components, we have compiled a list of the most common and requested types of dampers available:
Single Blade Dampers
Single blade dampers work to control the airflow through an air duct by either partially or fully obstructing the passage of air. This is achieved by adjusting the rotation of a singular blade within the damper.
When fully rotated/engaged, airflow is blocked completely; when disengaged/open, air can flow unimpeded throughout the system.
Uses of Single Blade Dampers
- Balancing airflow: Adjusting the airflow to different rooms or zones within a building.
- Controlling airflow to specific equipment: Regulating the airflow to heating or cooling coils, fans, or other components.
- Isolating sections of ductwork: Blocking off unused or damaged sections of ductwork.
Single blade dampers as offered by HAS-Vent, offer a simplistic and effective way to control airflow in ventilation systems.
Explore our Single Blade Dampers.
Multi Blade Dampers
Multi-blade ventilation dampers offer precise, variable control of airflow through ventilation systems. Consisting of multiple blades that can be adjusted independently to create custom airflow patterns, multi blade dampers offer a greater degree of control to single blade dampers.
Fine-adjustment of pressure balance and airflow distribution can be achieved with precision and ease.
Uses of multi blade dampers:
- Data centers: Enables for maintained, optimal airflow to cooling equipment to ensure reliability.
- Hospitals: Controlled airflow may be achieved to operating rooms and patient rooms.
- Industrial facilities: Essential to exhaust fumes and provide airflow ventilation to process equipment and systems.
- Commercial Properties: Vital to large, complex buildings with demanding HVAC requirements, such as shopping centres, leisure centers and more. Enables for the balance of airflow between multiple zones with variable loads.
At HAS-Vent our multi blade dampers are engineered to reliably balance airflows in low to medium velocity H&V systems.
Blast Gate Dampers
Blast gate dampers are a type of damper used to control and correct the flow of air in industrial exhaust systems and dust extraction systems. Also known as gate valves, blast gate dampers are simple, robust and used extensively in the ventilation of machinery in industrial environments for dust extraction.
A single gate/blade is typically used to control the flow of air, dirt and debris in extraction and material handling applications. They are typically manually operated, featuring safe and secure locking positioning from easy to operate thumb operated locking screws.
Uses of blast gate dampers:
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- Dust Collection: Controls airflow and waste extraction in material handling applications. Essential for metalworking and woodworking uses to support dust collection systems. Used extensively for grinders, sanders, saws, routers, planers and more.
- Agricultural: Perform a crucial role in agricultural applications including controlling airflow through grain dryers to optimise grain drying efficiency, and the control of air to livestock barns to maintain temperature and humidity conditions.
- Marine: Used to control airflow and isolate sections of marine vessels, ships and tankers. Can be used to isolate sections of engine rooms to prevent the spread of fire or smoke.
We offer a range of blast gate dampers manufactured to a range of diameters, from 63mm to 355mm.
Explore our blast gate dampers.
Iris Duct Dampers
Iris duct dampers offer an additional solution for the control of airflow in ventilation systems.
In contrast to single or multi blade dampers, iris duct dampers consist of a series of overlapping blades that, when adjusted, close in a circular opening form versus a standard, linear blade form.
Benefits of iris duct dampers:
- Efficient and accurate airflow regulator for circular ducts
- Simple and reliable measure of airflow
We offer a range of iris duct dampers manufactured to a range of diameters, from 80mm to 800mm.
Explore our iris duct dampers.
Fire Dampers & Blocks
Without appropriate measures in place, fire and smoke can spread rapidly through a building through ventilation systems. Fire dampers and ventilation accessories are crucial to minimising this risk.
At HAS-Vent we manufacture and supply a range of fire safety accessories for H&V systems, serving a range of specific requirements.
From motorised failsafe smoke and fire dampers, to single blade fire dampers and intumescent fire blocks, our fire dampers are designed to stop the spread of fire throughout ducts, walls and floors.
When selecting a fire damper, it is essential to consult fire safety experts to ensure safety and compliance in your building; our specialist team is available to assist with any advice and enquiries you may have.