Suspended Ceiling Return Air Plenum

A plenum space is a part of a building that can facilitate air circulation for heating and air conditioning systems by providing pathways for either heated conditioned or return airflows usually at greater than atmospheric pressure.

Suspended ceiling return air plenum. Finding a viable return air path. Dropped ceilings or suspended ceilings are often installed so that the space between them and the floor above or the roof deck can be used as a return air plenum. While exposed ceilings in office interiors lend a spacious open feel this trendy architectural feature has created a new challenge. 12 5 x 11 75 4 5 out of 5 stars 19 26 99 26.

Space between the structural ceiling and the dropped ceiling or under a raised floor is typically considered plenum. Plenum ceilings use the area between the dropped ceiling and the floor slab above as a return air path but when these dropped ceilings are removed the plenum area is reduced. However some drop ceiling designs create a. This is most common in commercial buildings schools hospitals or libraries.

Some drop ceilings are actually designed tight enough to where air circulation. The plenum barrier extends from the top of the partition to the underside of the floor or roof above blocking the plenum acoustically. The suspended acoustic ceiling and lightweight plenum barrier work together effectively as a system to provide the same amount of sound isolation as the stc rated wall construction below the ceiling level. The space above a ceiling is often used as a return air plenum in many types of commercial buildings meaning exhaust air from the room below is moved from the space through the plenum and then to ductwork leading to the central hvac system.

The space above the ceiling is not used as a return air plenum.