Spesialist fra Kina: Ventilation and Airflow Pattern Effects on VOC Distributions in Indoor Environment

The indoor environment is susceptible to contaminants and usually more polluted than outdoor air due to indoor sources such as humans, building materials, consumer products, indoor activities, and so on. It is widely reported that indoor pollution can adversely affect human health, comfort and productivity, and even be the cause of excessive morbidity and mortality. Although outdoor air also contains contaminants, usually at lower concentrations, that are originated from traffic exhaust, industry, etc., ventilation with outdoor air is still the basic means to remove pollutants (mainly volatile organic compounds, i.e., VOCs) emitted from various indoor sources, thereby reducing their concentrations in occupied spaces and achieving better indoor air quality. In this project, we mainly focus on health and consider diluting VOCs concentrations in indoor air especially in the occupied zone as the main purpose of ventilation. The objective of this project is to study the effects of ventilation and various airflow patterns (typical mechanical airflow patterns in offices and possible natural airflow mechanism in residential buildings) on VOC distributions in occupied zone in indoor environment and to propose practical approaches to determine adequate ventilation rate based on the VOC distribution and related influencing factors. The outcome of this visit could have at least two folds. First, the idea of ventilation and airflow pattern effects on VOC distributions in indoor environment could be further carried out and possibly a manuscript (or at least part of a manuscript) could be kept working on between the two parties during and after the visit. Second, a stronger relationship between NTNU in Norway and Tongji University in China could be formed and future research plan could be initiated.