An experimental method for contaminant dispersal characterization in large industrial buildings for indoor air quality (IAQ) applications

Spatial contaminant distribution in large semi-open building areas such as sports arenas, warehouses, atriums, malls and other industrial halls, is critical to estimating exposure, health risks and building energy performance. It is considered a challenge to measure experimentally how effectively the ventilation system removes or dilutes air pollutants in a large open space, taking into consideration the usual non uniformity of the air flow created by local heat and contamination sources, geometrical obstructions and the air distribution system. An experimental method is presented in this paper which can be used for both the experimental evaluation of ventilation effectiveness as well for CFD modeling validation in large open space applications. The developed method which is based on a passive perfluorocarbon tracer gas (PFT) system has been successfully used for the experimental evaluation of ventilation effectiveness in an ice skating arena in the Boston area and for the validation of a developed CFD model for the analysis of the IAQ in ice rink facilities. The method is very easy to use, fast and fairly inexpensive and it does not interfere with human and other activities within the building environment.