The Influence of Area-Specific Ventilation Rate on the Emissions from Construction Products

Abstract Experiments were performed using small-scale climate chambers, including the new Chamber for Laboratory Investigations of Materials Pollution and Air Quality (CLIMPAQ), to gain knowledge about the influence of ventilation rate per plane specimen area (specific ventilation rate) on emission rates. Emissions from pieces of linoleum, waterborne acrylic paint, nylon carpet, and sealant were quantified at different specific ventilation rates. A trained sensory panel used the decipol scale and chemical analysis quantified some major Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) after the specimens had been conditioned in the chambers for six days. The results showed that the specific ventilation rate (L/s m2) may influence the emission rates. In both sensory and chemical terms, emission rates increased when ventilation was increased. At low specific ventilation rates the emission rate was proportional to the specific ventilation rate. For higher ventilation rates the emission rates stabilized and became independent of ventilation. The chemical measurements showed that only the emissions from the tested paint were influenced by ventilation rates above those comparable to 0.5 h^?1 in a typical room. The emissions quantified by the sensory panel continued, however, to be influenced by ventilation even at rates higher than 5 h^-1.     

Volatile Organic Compounds,Indoor Air Quality and Health

This publication summarizes field investigations and controlled experiments on the relation between low levels of indoor air pollution with volatile organic compounds (VOC) and human health and comfort. The Henle-Kock criteria from epidemiology are revised for the dose-response relation between VOC's and health as comfort effects and existing evidence for each criterion are discussed. A biological model for human responses is suggested, based on three mechanisms: sensory perception of the environment, weak inflammatory reactions, and environmental stress reactions. Further, the TVOC-indicator concept for exposure is discussed. The conclusion is that no experimental or field data contradict the proposed causality. On the contrary, evidence supports the suggested causality. The biological model, however, is not yet based on acceptable measures of the variables for exposures, co-variables or health effects. A tentative guideline for VOC's in non-industrial indoor environments is suggested. The no-effect level seems to be about 0.2 mg/m³. A multi-factorial exposure range may exist between 0.2 and 3 mg/m³. Above 3 mg/m³ discomfort is expected.     

Characterization of Linoleum. Part 1: Measurement of Volatile Organic Compounds by use of the Field and Laboratory Emission Cell, “FLEC”⋆

The volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted from 12 linoleum samples were measured by use of the “Field and Laboratory Emission Cell” (FLEC) with sampling on Tenax TA followed by thermal desorbtion and GC/FID or GC/MS analysis. Major VOCs were alkanals, alkenals and fatty acids. The emissions were measured after 24 h in FLEC and again after one month's storage in a well ventilated room. The emission profiles of hexanal, nonanal and propanoic acid were modeled for four linoleum samples using a new exponential diffusion model. The time required to reach 50% of the odor threshold concentrations in a standard room was from 113 to 2296 hours. The applicability of the diffusion model for modeling long-term emission needs to be further evaluated considering possible continuous oxidative emission.     

Discomfort Caused by Odorants and Irritants in the Air*

Abstract Why are we ventilating buildings and how much ventilation is required? These are the fundamental questions that engineers, architects and hygienists have tried to answer over the past two hundred years. Dramatic changes in the philosophy behind ventilation have occurred but during the last half century, buildings have been ventilated primarily to avoid discomfort caused by odorants and irritants in the air, i.e. to establish an indoor air quality that is perceived as acceptable for humans. This philosophy is still behind ventilation standards at present being revised in different parts of the world, although health effects are also being considered. The historical development will be briefly reviewed and common new trends in the revisions of European and American standards will be discussed. New data on the additivity of sensory pollution sources and on the impact of temperature and humidity will be reviewed. A new paradigm shift in the philosophy behind ventilation is predicted.     

Impact of Temperature and Humidity on the Perception of Indoor Air Quality

Abstract Sensory responses to clean air and air polluted by five building materials under different combinations of temperature and humidity in the ranges 18-28°C and 30-70%RH were studied in the laboratory. A specially designed test system was built and a set of experiments was designed to observe separately the impact of temperature and humidity on the perception of air quality/odour intensity, and on the emission of pollutants from the materials. This paper reports on the impact on perception. The odour intensity of air did not change significantly with temperature and humidity; however, a strong and significant impact of temperature and humidity on the perception of air quality was found. The air was perceived as less acceptable with increasing temperature and humidity. This impact decreased with an increasing level of air pollution. Significant linear correlations were found between acceptability and enthalpy of the air at all pollution levels tested, and a linear model was established to describe the dependence of perceived air quality on temperature and humidity at different pollution levels.     

非工业建筑物内的空气质量与通风量的确定

本文论述了引起非工业建筑物内空气污染的主要原因,介绍了非工业建筑物内新的通风原理及ASHRAE通风标准的新变化.最后作者对室内空气质量和新的通风原理中存在的问题提出了一些看法和建议.     

Impact of Temperature and Humidity on Chemical and Sensory Emissions from Building Materials

Abstract The chemical and sensory emissions from five building materials (carpet, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) flooring, sealant, floor varnish and wall paint) were tested under different combinations of temperature and relative humidity in the ranges 18–28°C and 30–70% relative humidity (RH). The experiment was performed in a climate chamber where a specially designed test system was built to study emissions from the five materials. The test system could provide different temperatures and humidities of air around the materials, while the air, after being polluted by the emissions from the materials, could be reconditioned to 23°C and 50% RH for sensory assessments. The experiment was designed to separate the direct impact of temperature and humidity on perception from the impact on sensory emission. The study found little influence of temperature on the emissions from the five materials whether expressed in chemical or sensory terms. The effect of humidity was found to be significant only for the waterborne materials – floor varnish and wall paint. Compared with the direct impact of temperature and humidity on the perception of air quality, the impact of temperature and humidity on sensory emissions from the building materials has a secondary influence on perceived air quality.     

住宅室内空气污染调查与防治

根据长沙市7户住宅室内空气品质的现场测试结果,分析了建筑材料、室外环境、人的活动和通风情况对室内空气品质的影响,同时得出室内环境中各种污染因素的预防和改善措施。     

厨房空气污染的检测与评价

在不同燃具和通风条件下检测了厨房空气中CO、CO2、NO2的含量,评价了厨房空气污染情况,分析了不同燃具、通风条件等因素对厨房空气质量的影响。     

Impact of Temperature and Humidity on Perception of Indoor Air Quality During Immediate and Longer Whole-Body Exposures

Abstract Acceptability of clean air and air polluted by building materials was studied in climate chambers with different levels of air temperature and humidity in the ranges 18–28°C and 30-70% relative humidity (RH). The acceptability of the air quality immediately after entering a chamber and during the following 20-min whole-body exposure was assessed by 36 untrained subjects who maintained thermal neutrality by modifying their clothing. The results confirm the significant decrement of the acceptability with increasing temperature and humidity, as shown in a previous study with facial exposures. The odour intensity was found to be independent of temperature and humidity. A linear relation between acceptability and enthalpy of air was again observed by this experiment. No significant difference was observed between the immediate acceptability and the acceptability during the following 20-min exposure, i.e., no adaptation took place. Both the immediate assessment of acceptability and the assessments during the 20-min exposure were independent of the air temperature and humidity to which the subjects were exposed before entering the chamber. The results further indicate that a notable decrement of the ventilation requirement may be achieved by maintaining a moderate enthalpy of air in spaces.     

室内空气质量标准与检测方法

随着室内装修材料广泛运用以及建筑物密闭性的加强,室内空气质量越来越受到人们关注.对居室内环境质量的国内外发展现状进行介绍,对室内空气质量标准及相应的检测方法进行阐述.在恶化的室内空气成分中,挥发性有机化合物气体对人的身体健康影响最为严重.所有有害的化合物中,甲醛对人体的危害最为严重,针对这一现状,对有机化合物甲醛的检测方法进行了进一步的分析.     

某报告厅空调系统的设计及其能耗分析

介绍了西安某办公楼报告厅空调系统的设计。分别应用置换通风与混合通风两种通风方式,在室外和室内设计参数相同的情况下,充分比较了它们在送风量、新风量、能耗以及室内空气品质的不同。结果表明在某些应用场合,置换通风在空气品质提高和能耗降低上有明显的优势,同时这种优势不以牺牲热舒适性为代价,因此建议使用置换通风系统。     

建筑材料对室内空气质量的影响

概述了室内空气质量研究的现状、室内空气质量的影响因素及存在的问题。论述了室内空气污染物质的种类、来源、性质及其危害。     

Principles for Evaluation of Health and Comfort Hazards Caused by Indoor Air Pollution*

Abstract Consensus on simplified procedures for evaluating health consequences of occupational and outdoor exposures has existed for many years and there is no reason why a similar consensus cannot be made for normal indoor environments. A discussion of such a procedure and its limitations is the purpose of this paper. The exposure measurements should be presented to the toxicologist in the form of a list of identified compounds, concentrations of each compound reported as lifetime-integrated absorbed dose, average concentration (e.g. 24 h), peak exposures (e.g. 10–30 s), and peak exposure frequency (e.g. 90% fractile). In that perspective some of the main recommendations of this paper are that a list of compounds expected to be relevant to indoor air and the required sensitivity of the analytical procedures for these compounds must be established. These chemicals must be identified and quantified in an analysis of indoor air. Generally the investigators should pay the same interest in accurate measurements of exposure and of effects, and sampling should be made within one sampling period from measurements of health effects. The compounds of relevance to indoor air should be grouped according to the relevant toxicological principles for their evaluation. Those for which acceptable data and evaluation principles exist or can be estimated are placed on a positive list. In addition, a sub-list should be established of the remaining relevant compounds which for one or more reasons cannot be dealt with in the proposed evaluation scheme, and a consensus must be reached on the maximal acceptable fraction of compounds that cannot be toxicologically evaluated (toxicologically unknown). Finally, guidelines for evaluation of the exposures must be established including guideline values for the relevant compounds as well as procedures for sensory evaluations.     

室内空气污染及防治措施

室内空气品质优劣对人体健康影响很大,并会导致人们工作效率降低,建筑物的密闭性和室内装修热的影响加剧了室内环境污染,所以对室内空气污染进行分析和找出防治措施是一件非常有意义的事。本文分析了室内空气污染的主要来源,通过对国内外室内空气污染的现状分析,意识到治理空气污染的必要性和紧迫性。同时找出我国室内环境污染的原因和问题所在,提出了我国室内空气污染防治的有效措施,以改善室内空气品质。     

洛阳电信大楼通风空调设计

分别从设计参数、空调负荷、冷热源、冷冻水系统、通风与防排烟设计等方面介绍洛阳电信大楼通风、空高工程设计,着重地下汽车库排烟设计部分;并结合工程实际,对今后设计提出了建议和看法。     

Comparison of three small chamber test methods for the measurement of VOC emission rates from paint

The aim of this study was to demonstrate a correlation between the measurement of emission rates of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in three different climate chambers. In order to achieve this aim, the early state of the emission process in the three chambers was investigated and the effects of some important factors on the emission rates from paint were determined. The paper presents results of measurements in three different climate chambers. For the study, a 1-m3 chamber, a field and laboratory emission cell (FLEC), and a chamber for laboratory investigation of materials pollution and air quality (CLIMPAQ) were used. The airflow and surface area were selected so that the area-specific ventilation rates were identical in the three chambers. Temperature and relative humidity were identical during all the measurements. The paint examined was a solvent-based alkyd paint intended for indoor, which use contained between 30 and 60% of white spirit in wet condition. The paint was applied to electropolished and cleaned stainless steel plates. After application, the test material was stored for 14 days for drying in a well-ventilated conditioning room before the measurements were made. After 2 weeks storage, the most pronounced emissions were pentanal, hexanal, octanal, and decanol. The period before the emission rate stabilized differed for the three chambers studied. However, all chambers gave similar emission rates within the overall uncertainty used in these experiments.     

Symptoms and Perceived Indoor Air Quality among Occupants of Houses and Apartments with Different Ventilation Systems

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the occurrence of symptoms and the perception of poor indoor air quality among the occupants of houses and apartments with different ventilation systems. The study population consisted of the 473 occupants of 242 dwellings in the Helsinki metropolitan area who responded to a self-administered questionnaire (response rate 93.1%) after a two-week period of indoor air quality measurements. The symptoms of interest were those often related to poor indoor air quality including dryness or itching of the skin; dryness, irritation or itching of the eyes; nasal congestion (“blocked nose”) nasal dry-ness; nasal discharge (“runny nose”); sneezing; cough; breathlessness; headache or migraine; and lethargy, weakness or nausea. Perception of coldness; warm-ness; draught; dryness; stuffiness; and sufficiency of air exchange was also requested. The age-standardized period prevalences of the symptoms and complaints were systematically more common among the occupants of the apartments than those of the houses. The occupants of the houses with natural ventilation seemed to have more symptoms and complaints than those with balanced ventilation. However, in the apartments with balanced ventilation the occupants reported, in general, more symptoms and complaints than those with natural ventilation.     

西藏拉萨贡嘎机场航站楼空调设计

介绍该工程通风、空调系统设计,重点说明了气流组织、水系统、防排烟系统等的设计思路和对策,并总结了设计体会。     

深圳市新装修住宅室内空气质量调研分析

本文通过对深圳市新装修住宅室内空气质量进行现场测试和长期监测,总结了此类住宅的室内空气污染现状,对装饰装修所带来的室内空气污染规律进行了分析。调研结果显示,深圳市装修污染水平基本与全国平均水平一致,甲醛和TVOC超标率均高于60%;家具是住宅室内空气化学污染最主要的污染源,且由于其使用密度高,卧室和儿童房等功能房间污染程度最为严重;化学污染在装修后初期能够快速下降,但后期衰减缓慢,持续时间长;不同的污染物衰减过程有所差异,苯系物污染相比于甲醛污染衰减的更快一些。