Improving occupational health by modelling indoor pollutant distribution
Abstract
Purpose
Indoor environments are characterized by several pollutant sources. Some of these can be sufficiently characterized through the prediction of the airflow and pollutant distribution patterns. The purpose of this study was to simulate, analyze and compare different locations of known pollutant source inside a ventilated room.
Design/methodology/approach
Computational fluid dynamics modelling approach was used to analyze the prediction of the airflow and pollutant distribution patterns for different locations of known pollutant source inside a ventilated room by mixing ventilation.
Findings
Distinct areas of poor air quality, perfectly identified by concentration fields, were given. The indoor air quality obtained by the different simulated conditions was analyzed and compared.
Research limitations/implications
Pollutant concentration was not measured in the validation experiments (qualitative validation based on the velocity fields).
Practical implications
Once the contaminant concentration fields are calculated based on the source location, the model is very useful to choose the best place to install any pollutant indoor equipment to preserve breathing zones.
Originality/value
Providing an effective indoor air quality assessment to prevent exposure risk. The results would be useful for making decisions to optimize the design procedure, such as establish the best location to install polluting equipment, occupied areas and their interdependence with ventilation systems. In addition, this tool also helps to choose the best location and correct set point adjustment for the pollutant sensors.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors wish to acknowledge the support of UDI – Research Unit for Inland Development (www.ipg.pt/udi), PEst-OE/EGE/UI4056/2014 UDI/IPG, funded by FCT (Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia). The authors do not have any conflict of interest with the content of the manuscript.
Citation
Pitarma, R., Lourenço, M. and Ramos, J. (2016), "Improving occupational health by modelling indoor pollutant distribution", Facilities, Vol. 34 No. 5/6, pp. 289-301. https://doi.org/10.1108/F-07-2014-0061
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2016, Emerald Group Publishing Limited