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Techno-economic analysis of centralized and decentralized HVAC systems for cleanrooms

Marchis, Vlad Gavril LU and Rosina, Stanislav LU (2026) AEBM01 20261
Division of Energy and Building Design
Abstract
Cleanrooms in the pharmaceutical industry are energy-intensive environments where HVAC systems account for roughly 50-75% of energy use due to high air changes per hour and strict conditioning requirements for indoor humidity and temperature. This thesis presents a techno-economic analysis comparing two of the most common HVAC system types. These systems are centralized, using one large AHU to provide airflow and conditioning, while the other, decentralized system with filter fan
units, provides per-room airflow and air conditioning. This thesis uses a quantitative approach to study fluid dynamics in cleanrooms, validating pressure cascades, temperatures, and variables such as age of air, and includes a detailed technical design for a... (More)
Cleanrooms in the pharmaceutical industry are energy-intensive environments where HVAC systems account for roughly 50-75% of energy use due to high air changes per hour and strict conditioning requirements for indoor humidity and temperature. This thesis presents a techno-economic analysis comparing two of the most common HVAC system types. These systems are centralized, using one large AHU to provide airflow and conditioning, while the other, decentralized system with filter fan
units, provides per-room airflow and air conditioning. This thesis uses a quantitative approach to study fluid dynamics in cleanrooms, validating pressure cascades, temperatures, and variables such as age of air, and includes a detailed technical design for a centralized system. The findings reveal a significant
difference in energy performance: the decentralized system uses 218 MWh annually, whereas the centralized system requires 1 607 MWh annually. This discrepancy is primarily driven by the decentralized system’s ability to provide per-room conditioning and its significantly lower ductwork resistance, leading to a superior Specific Fan Power. CFD simulations further highlighted that while
both systems maintained the required pressure levels, internal heat gains from packaging machinery in cleanroom 1 raised the temperature to 21.3 °C, near the design limit of 19 °C ±3 °C. This suggests that high Air Change Rates alone cannot compensate for insufficient localized cooling capacity. This study concludes that while a centralized system requires a lower initial investment, it quickly catches up to the decentralized system due to significantly higher operating costs. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Marchis, Vlad Gavril LU and Rosina, Stanislav LU
supervisor
organization
course
AEBM01 20261
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
Age of air, Cleanroom, CFD, Centralized ventilation, Decentralized ventilation, HVAC ventilation, LCC.
language
English
id
9230806
date added to LUP
2026-06-04 07:31:27
date last changed
2026-06-04 07:31:27
@misc{9230806,
  abstract     = {{Cleanrooms in the pharmaceutical industry are energy-intensive environments where HVAC systems account for roughly 50-75% of energy use due to high air changes per hour and strict conditioning requirements for indoor humidity and temperature. This thesis presents a techno-economic analysis comparing two of the most common HVAC system types. These systems are centralized, using one large AHU to provide airflow and conditioning, while the other, decentralized system with filter fan
units, provides per-room airflow and air conditioning. This thesis uses a quantitative approach to study fluid dynamics in cleanrooms, validating pressure cascades, temperatures, and variables such as age of air, and includes a detailed technical design for a centralized system. The findings reveal a significant
difference in energy performance: the decentralized system uses 218 MWh annually, whereas the centralized system requires 1 607 MWh annually. This discrepancy is primarily driven by the decentralized system’s ability to provide per-room conditioning and its significantly lower ductwork resistance, leading to a superior Specific Fan Power. CFD simulations further highlighted that while
both systems maintained the required pressure levels, internal heat gains from packaging machinery in cleanroom 1 raised the temperature to 21.3 °C, near the design limit of 19 °C ±3 °C. This suggests that high Air Change Rates alone cannot compensate for insufficient localized cooling capacity. This study concludes that while a centralized system requires a lower initial investment, it quickly catches up to the decentralized system due to significantly higher operating costs.}},
  author       = {{Marchis, Vlad Gavril and Rosina, Stanislav}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Techno-economic analysis of centralized and decentralized HVAC systems for cleanrooms}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}