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Dissertation
Modeling the influence of HVAC systems on aerosol partitioning and chemical processing
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Drexel University
Mar 2024
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17918/00002019
Abstract
Exposure to ambient aerosols is linked to cardiovascular and respiratory illnesses, and exposure is dominated indoors, where people spend most of their time. Outdoor air pollution comprises organic and inorganic components, which are introduced indoors by air exchange, such as infiltration, natural ventilation, or mechanical ventilation supplied by a heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system. Ambient aerosols can transform and have their composition altered upon transport indoors. These transformations are further altered due to interactions with indoor sourced pollutants and building airflow dynamics, which vary among buildings. The Indoor Model of Aerosols Gases, Emissions, and Surfaces (IMAGES), a platform initially designed to simulate indoor organic aerosol (OA) with the 2-dimensional volatility basis set (2D-VBS), was extended to incorporate the inorganic aerosol (IA) thermodynamic equilibrium model, ISORROPIA. First, IMAGES was used to simulate indoor aerosols in a classroom at Drexel University during the summer and winter seasons. However, this work was limited due to the lack of gas-phase measurements needed to fully constrain ISORROPIA, and the omission of HVAC system impacts, which influence the repartitioning of certain aerosol constituents. To address these limitations, particle and gas-phase measurements taken in the supply duct and gym at the University of Colorado Boulder with student-athletes working out were next used to evaluate IMAGES. Then, an AHU module was developed for IMAGES that simulates the partitioning and loss mechanisms of organic and inorganic particulate matter (PM) and water-soluble trace gases (WSTGs) as they travel over the filter, heating coil, and cooling coil. The module was evaluated using particle and gas-phase measurements from different stages of an HVAC system at Johns Hopkins University. The outcomes of this work can help inform policy and technological advances designed to improve indoor air quality and reduce aerosol exposure in commercial buildings.
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Details
- Title
- Modeling the influence of HVAC systems on aerosol partitioning and chemical processing
- Creators
- Bryan Chardak Berman
- Contributors
- Michael S. Waring (Advisor)Shannon L. Capps (Advisor)
- Awarding Institution
- Drexel University
- Degree Awarded
- Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
- Publisher
- Drexel University; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Number of pages
- xvi, 187 pages
- Resource Type
- Dissertation
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Civil (and Architectural) Engineering [Historical]; College of Engineering (1970-2026); Drexel University
- Other Identifier
- 991021867512504721