The effects of ventilation, filtration, and outdoor air on the composition of indoor air at a telephone office building

Journal Article · Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1989 · Environment International; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0160-4120(89)90080-9· OSTI ID:6710829

Weschler, C J; Shields, H C ^[1]

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1. Bell Communications Research, Red Bank, NJ (USA)

Sensors installed at a telephone office building in Neenah, WI, continuously monitor 24 parameters related to the operation of the building's heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) system. This data is stored in a dedicated minicomputer and can be retrieved, in various formats, for subsequent analyses. For more than a year, we have measured indoor and outdoor concentrations of both fine and coarse airborne particles, their chemical constituents, and volatile organic compounds at this same location. Using this data, we have examined the composition of the indoor air as it correlates to the composition of the outdoor air and the various HVAC operating parameters. The steady-state indoor concentrations of the particles, particulate constituents, and organic vapors can be explained in the context of a mass balance model. This model can also be used to calculate the rate at which selected chemicals are generated within the building, as well as to predict resulting changes in steady-state indoor concentrations when changes in the ventilation or filtration parameters are made. Examples of each of these applications are given.

• OSTI ID: 6710829
• Journal Information: Environment International; (USA), Vol. 15:1-6; ISSN 0160-4120
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
INDOOR AIR POLLUTION
AIR POLLUTION MONITORING
OFFICE BUILDINGS
AIR CONDITIONING
AIR POLLUTION
CENTRAL HEATING PLANTS
ENERGY CONSERVATION
FILTRATION
HEATING SYSTEMS
MASS BALANCE
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
PARTICULATES
VENTILATION
VENTILATION SYSTEMS
BUILDINGS
ENERGY SYSTEMS
PARTICLES
POLLUTION
SEPARATION PROCESSES
540120* - Environment
Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)
320105 - Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization- Building Services- (1987-)