Heat Recovery Ventilator (HRV) — Operating Principle
A recuperator (heat recovery unit) transfers heat from exhaust air to incoming fresh air without mixing the two streams.
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How It Works
Two airflows:
Exhaust air (warm, from indoors)
Supply air (cold, from outside)
They pass through a heat exchanger:
separated by plates or channels
no direct mixing
heat transfers through the material (conduction)
Result: → supply air is preheated
→ exhaust air is cooled
→ overall heat loss is reduced
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Types of Recuperators
1. Plate Heat Exchanger
aluminum or plastic plates
efficiency: ~60–90%
no moving parts
2. Rotary (Wheel) Heat Exchanger
rotating drum
transfers heat and some moisture
efficiency: up to ~85–90%
3. Counterflow Heat Exchanger
air streams move in opposite directions
highest efficiency: up to ~95%
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What Is Transferred
heat (primary)
sometimes moisture (in enthalpy units)
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Efficiency Example
outside: 0°C
indoor: +22°C
after recovery: ~16–20°C
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Advantages
reduced heating energy demand
continuous ventilation without major heat loss
improved indoor air quality
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Limitations
frost formation in winter (needs bypass or preheater)
filter maintenance required
upfront cost
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Core Idea
A recuperator doesn’t generate heat — it recovers and reuses it.
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