Purpose - Remove or dilute airborne contaminants

Supply air - mixture of outside air and re-circulated

air
VENTILATION
dilution ventilation
dilutes contaminant
to an acceptable level
comprises fans set in
walls or roof
cheap and simple
limited application as
a control strategy

local exhaust
ventilation
captures contaminant
close to point of
generation
comprises hood,
ductwork, filter,
fan,outlet
good control of
hazardous
contaminants

VENTILATION
changes the whole workplace air over a given time
period ie air changes per hour
limit to circumstances where:
exposure limit is high
low evaporation rate for liquids
slow evolution for gases
operators not close to the point of generation
substance is quickly carried away from the operator

DILUTION VENTILATION
rate of contaminant generation governs air changes per
hour required
density of contaminant governs position of fans:
density >1 (ie solvents) - low level fan in wall
density <1 (ie hot gases) - high level fan in roof
problems include:
dead areas where poor airflow allows
contamination to build up
heat losses due to high rate of air change


DILUTION VENTILATION
Hood or exhaust inlet
receptor hood
contaminant directed into a large hood by fan
assisted draught
captor hood
contaminant captured by air flow close to point of
generation
low pressure large volume flow
high pressure low volume flow (high velocity)
LOCAL EXHAUST VENTILATION
ducting
straight with gentle bends and angled joints
sufficient air flow to prevent deposition of solids
access ports for cleaning and flow monitoring
filter or purifying system
cyclones, washers, electrostatic, bag filters
LOCAL EXHAUST VENTILATION
Fans
axial flow fan
airflow is parallel to the shaft of the impeller
compact and fits neatly into ductwork
centrifugal fan
air enters the impeller then is discharged at right
angles
exhaust outlet
careful location to avoid:
cyclic pollution
effects of weather of air disturbance
LOCAL EXHAUST VENTILATION
Components
o Air intakes, dampers, filters
o Heating & cooling units, coils, drain pans
o Ductwork
o Supply vents
o Exhaust vents
o Plenum

HAVC SYSTEMS
Poorly balanced systems

o Areas with stale air

o Drafty areas

o Contaminant buildup

o Uncomfortable temperatures

o Odors from other areas of the building
WHEN GOOD HVAC SYSTEMS GO
BAD
Excessive dust and dirt in the supplied air

Insects

Mold spores
POOR FILTERS OR POOR FILTER
MAINTENANCE
ASHRAE Standards

Temperature

Relative Humidity

Minimum outdoor air requirements

CO2 levels below 1000 ppm

Outdoor air supplied at 15 cfm/person
VENTILATION TO MEET
OCCUPANT NEEDS
Modify ventilation system

Modify pressure relationships

Filters

Ion generators

Humidification systems
VENTILATION ENGINEERING
CONTROL
INDOOR AIR QUALITY
Indoor air can contain vapors from cleaning products,
building materials, carpet, furniture, combustion sources,
photocopiers, fax machines, and particulates like dust, dirt,
pollen, mold, bacteria, and many other types of particles and
pesticides brought in from outdoors or generated indoors.

Good indoor air quality(IAQ) has no unwanted gases or
particles in it at concentrations which will adversely affect
someone.

Relationship between Indoor and
Outdoor Air Quality
Indoor pollutant concentrations may be higher or lower
than outdoor air concentrations

Outdoor contaminants may be present indoors at a
sufficient concentration to affect the occupants
Example : Pollen and mold spores from outdoors causes
hay fever and allergies indoors
Why should you be concerned about the
quality of air that you breath?
The contaminant indoor air could damage peoples health

Indoor air pollutants are among the top five
environmental risk

People spend about 90% of their time indoors and so the
health problems that result from exposure to indoor
pollution increases

According to World Health Organization (WHO)
approximately 30% of all commercial buildings have
significant IAQ problems

Statistics on Indoor Air Pollution
Indoor radon exposure is estimated to be the second
leading cause of lung cancer (American Lung Association)
Environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) causes an estimated
3,000 lung cancer deaths and 35,000 to 50,000 heart
disease deaths in non-smokers, as well as 150,000 to
300,000 cases of lower respiratory tract infections in
children under 18 months of age each year (ALA)
1.4 million buildings in the United States have indoor
problems (OSHA)
Legionnaires Disease strikes 25,000 people and kills over
4000 people every year (Center for Disease Control)

Sources of Pollutants
Normal Biological Processes - people and pets generate
carbon dioxide, moisture, odors and microbes
Combustion appliances such as wood stoves, gas stoves,
furnaces, fireplaces and gas heaters
Use of consumer products such as spray cans, air
fresheners, spray cleaners and construction materials
Cigarette smoking
Soil under and around buildings
Appliances such as humidifiers, air conditioners and
nebulizers
Sources involved in IAQ problems

Problem Origin
Percent Typical Sources
Inadequate Building Ventilation
Systems
53%
Lack of outside air, poor air distribution,
uncomfortable temperature and humidity,
contaminant sources inside the system
Contaminants Originating Inside
Building
15%
Solvent vapors, dusts, formaldehyde,
building materials, furnishings
Building Products 4% Concrete, wood, furnishings.
Unknown Causes 13% Unidentified sources
Outdoor Contaminants Entering
Building
10%
Motor vehicle exhaust, pollen, fungi,
smoke, construction
Microbiological Agents 5% Bioaerosols, Legionella
Evaluations by National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
(NIOSH) for studies on more than 500 Indoor Air quality health
hazard cases
Reasons of IAQ Problems based on
NIOSH study
Inadequate
Ventilation
53%
Bioaerosols
5%
Outside
Contamination
10%
Building
products
4%
Unknown
causes
13%
Inside
contamination
15%
Factors affecting IAQ
Meteorological conditions

Ventilation condition

Pollutant decay

Pollutant removal

Pollutant release

Permeability of structures

Outdoor air quality
How does Outdoor Air enter
Indoors
Infiltration - outdoor air flows into the house through
openings, joints, and cracks in walls, floors, and
ceilings, and around windows and doors
Natural Ventilation - air moves through opened
windows and doors
Mechanical Ventilation - from outdoor-vented fans that
intermittently remove air from a single room, such as
bathrooms and kitchen, to air handling systems that
use fans and duct work to continuously remove indoor
air and distribute filtered and conditioned outdoor air
to strategic points throughout the house



Health effects due to Indoor Air Pollutants

Headaches
Nausea
Respiratory infections
Asthma
Hypersensitivity pneumonitis
Humidifier fever
Legionnaires disease
Lung cancer

What is Sick Building Syndrome (SBS)?
Condition of a building in which more than 20% of the
occupants are suffering from adverse health effects but
with no clinically diagnosable disease present

It is a condition of a building ; not of the occupants

It takes place due to long term exposure to low levels of
contaminants



SYMPTOM POSSIBLE
CONTAMINANTS
PRIMARY
SOURCES
ENVIRONMENTAL
CONDITION
Headache
Fatigue
Poor Concentration
Dizziness
Tiredness
Bio-aerosols
VOCs
Ventilation systems
Humidifiers
Drip pans
Cooling coils in AHVs
Plants
Outside air
Ergonomic
Conditions
Noise and
Vibration
Headache with nausea
Ringing in ears
Pounding heart
CO
Formaldehyde
Incomplete
Combustion (vehicle
Exhaust, stoves,
fireplaces)
Building products
Furnishings
Ergonomic
Conditions
Noise and
Vibration
Dry Throat
Shortness of breath
or Bronchial Asthma
Irritation and
Infection of
Respiratory Tract
NO
2

Formaldehyde
VOCs
Particulates
Incomplete
Combustion
Building Products
Furnishings
Smoking
Relative
humidity




Health Symptoms and Possible
Contaminants
Health Symptoms and Possible Contaminants
SYMPTOM POSSIBLE
CONTAMINANTS
PRIMARY
SOURCES
ENVIRONMENTAL
CONDITION
Nasal Problems
(Stuffiness,Irritation)
NO
2

Formaldehyde
Bio-aerosols
Incomplete Combustion
Building Products
Furnishings
Ventilation Systems
Humidifiers
Drip Pans
Cooling Coils in AHVs
Outside Air
Relative Humidity
High Temperatures
Skin Problems
(Dryness, Irritation,
Rashes)
Formaldehyde Ventilation Systems
Humidifiers
Outside Air
Warm Air
Low Relative
Humidity
Excessive Air
Movement
Eye Problems
(Burning, Dry Gritty
Eye)
NO
2

Formaldehyde
VOC's
Particulates
Bio-aerosols
Incomplete Combustion
Building Products
Furnishings
Ventilation Systems
Humidifiers
Cooling Coils in AHVs
Outside Air
Building Product
Deterioration
Artificial Light
List of Pollutants affecting IAQ
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
Dust and dirt
Radon
Bio-aerosols
Environmental tobacco smoke (ETS)
Respirable Particulate Matter (RPM)
Carbon and Nitrous Oxides

Origin of Indoor Air Quality Problems
Inadequate ventilation

Pollutants from material processed inside the building

Pollutants drawn in from outside air

Biological contamination

Pollutants from building materials and furnishings

Saving energy

POLLUTANT CONCENTRATION REMARKS

Asbestos
40 CFR
0.2-2
fibers/cucm
EPA
OSHA Standard (8hr TWA)

Carbon
Dioxide

1000 ppm
5000 ppm

ASHRAE Standard
Ministry of Labor
Standard(TWAEV)

Carbon
Monoxide
9 ppm
50 ppm
9 ppm
35 ppm
EPA
OSHA Standard for 1hr
ASHRAE-Average over 8 hr
NIOSH standard for 1hr
Guidelines for IAQ pollutants
POLLUTANT CONCENTRATION REMARKS

Formaldehyde

0.4 ppm
0.75 ppm

ASHRAE Standard
OSHA (8 hr TWA)

Nitrogen
Dioxide
5 ppm
3 ppm

0.053 ppm
OSHA
Ministry of Labor Standard
(TWAEV)
Annual National Ambient Air
Quality Standard (USA)

Ozone
0.05 ppm
0.1ppm
0.08 ppm
WHO
OSHA (8hr TWA)
WHO-Criteria Document

Particulates

260 g/cum

150 g/cum

National Ambient Air quality
Standard-24 hr geometric mean
EPA, 24 hr annual geometric mean
Guidelines (contd.)
POLLUTANT CONCENTRATION REMARKS

Radon

4 picoCuries/L
4 WML radon
progeny calendar
year

ASHRAE Standard
Mine Safety and Health
Administration

Volatile
Organic
Compounds
(VOC)

1-5 mg/cum

3 mg/cum

US Environmental Protection
Agency Guidelines
Molhave, 1990


Microbial
fungi

<50 CFU/cum
<150 CFU/cum
<500 CFU/cum

2 Species
3 Species
Agriculture Canada Standard
Guidelines (contd.)
A healthy indoor environment is one which the
surroundings contribute to the productivity, comfort
and sense of health and well being.
A healthy environment may be achieved by proper
building maintenance and communication.
SUMMARY
.Thank You