Towards improved characterization of high-risk releases using heterogeneous indoor sensor systems

Journal Article · Wed Jun 30 04:00:00 EDT 2010 · Building and Environment

OSTI ID:1004605

Sreedharan, Priya; Sohn, Michael D; Nazaroff, William W; J Gadgil, Ashok

The sudden release of toxic contaminants that reach indoor spaces can be hazardous to building occupants. For an acutely toxic contaminant, the speed of the emergency response strongly influences the consequences to occupants. The design of a real time sensor system is made challenging both by the urgency and complex nature of the event, and by the imperfect sensors and models available to describe it. In this research, we use Bayesian modeling to combine information from multiple types of sensors to improve the characterization of a release. We discuss conceptual and algorithmic considerations for selecting and fusing information from disparate sensors. To explore system performance, we use both real tracer gas data from experiments in a three story building, along with synthetic data, including information from door position sensors. The added information from door position sensors is found to be useful for many scenarios, but not always. We discuss the physical conditions and design factors that affect these results, such as the influence of the door positions on contaminant transport. We highlight potential benefits of multisensor data fusion, challenges in realizing those benefits, and opportunities for further improvement.

• Research Organization: Ernest Orlando Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA (US)
• Sponsoring Organization: Environmental Energy Technologies Division
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-05CH11231
• OSTI ID: 1004605
• Report Number(s): LBNL-4212E
• Journal Information: Building and Environment, Journal Name: Building and Environment Vol. 16; ISSN 0360-1323; ISSN BUENDB
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
Bayesian analysis
Contaminant detection
Environmental systems
Parameter estimation
Sensor fusion.
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