Interzonal airflow rates for use in near-field far-field workplace concentration modeling

ABSTRACT

Interzonal air flow rates (β) for a workspace above a table were measured in 12 indoor air spaces using an experimental apparatus simulating a vapor release into an occupied near zone. The near field was modeled as a 0.32 m³ rectangular cube volume 0.60 m high above the 0.60 m × 0.90 m table. A total of 74 experimental measurements of β were made. The apparatus consisted of photoionization detectors measuring concentrations of acetone around an evaporating liquid surface with a robot arm simulating worker motion in the near field. The vapor release rate and the resulting concentrations were used in a near-field far-field (NF-FF) model to calculate β. Measures of mixing within the near-field supported the assumption of the NF-FF model that the near field is well-mixed. Measured values of β ranged from 0.4–19 m³/min with an average of 4.8 m³/min. This corresponds to 1.2–59 air changes per minute in the near field and an average of 15 air changes per minute. The values of β were log normally distributed with a geometric mean of 3.4 m³/min and a geometric standard deviation of 2.3. The 95% confidence interval on the geometric mean of β was 2.8–4.2 m³/min. The product of the random air speed in the room and one half of the near-field free surface area was shown to be a good method of determining β. There was a slight correlation seen between room volume and β, but the effect size was small. Room air change rate was not found to be correlated with β. The observed distribution of β will be helpful in selecting values for interzonal airflow rate in NF-FF modeling of worker exposures.

KEYWORDS:

• Exposure modeling
• indoor air concentration modeling
• interzonal airflow rate
• near field far field model

Funding

This research was supported by a Wheaton College Summer Student Research grant.