Truss-Integrated Thermoformed Ductwork

65549 Conventional duct systems in houses have serious deficiencies. Usually, they are located in very hot or very cold attics with little insulation to protect them, and often they have excessive leaks and construction-caused defects. These problems result in energy losses, widely fluctuating indoor comfort conditions, and the transport of air-borne contaminants from unconditioned to conditioned spaces. This project will address these problems by developing a prefabricated whole-house array of thermoformed plastic ductwork for integration within roof trusses and under insulation layers. Pre-fabricated plastic ductwork can be used in conventional attic configurations as well as basements and crawlspaces. Phase I investigated the ductwork layout and materials, then designed, built, and tested a full-scale prototype thermoformed duct system. It was demonstrated that large parts using thermoforming can be fabricated easily and duct air leakage can be virtually eliminated. Phase II will develop modular ductwork and mold designs; customize the thermoforming technology; build whole-house duct systems; and install and test entire ductwork systems in the field. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: The proposed innovation could revolutionize how home heating/cooling distribution systems are configured and installed, and could dramatically improve their performance and cost-effectiveness. If 20% of the nation¿s homes adopted this system, a savings of 1.3 billion Watt-hours of electricity per year would result.