Kokonaislämpökatot

Kokonaislämpökatot, known in English as total heat exchangers or heat recovery ventilators (HRVs), are mechanical ventilation systems designed to improve indoor air quality and energy efficiency in buildings. They work by transferring both heat and moisture from the outgoing stale indoor air to the incoming fresh outdoor air. This process pre-conditions the incoming air, reducing the load on the building's heating and cooling systems.

The core component of a kokonaislämpökato is a heat exchanger, typically a cassette or core made of materials like paper or aluminum. As stale, warm, and humid indoor air is exhausted from the building, it passes through one side of the heat exchanger. Simultaneously, cold, dry outdoor air is drawn into the building and passes through the other side of the heat exchanger. During this process, heat and moisture are transferred from the outgoing air to the incoming air without the two airstreams mixing.

In winter, the outgoing warm, humid air transfers heat and moisture to the incoming cold, dry air. This warms and humidifies the incoming air, preventing it from feeling excessively dry and cold. In summer, the process is reversed: the outgoing cool, potentially humid air transfers its coolness and some moisture to the incoming hot, dry outdoor air, pre-cooling and dehumidifying it. This makes kokonaislämpökatot particularly beneficial in climates with significant temperature and humidity variations, helping to maintain comfortable indoor conditions while saving energy. They are often integrated into a building's HVAC system.