Continuation of research and development related to indoor air quality monitoring. Final report.

An exposure chamber for testing passive dosimeters suitable for measuring indoor air pollutant concentrations has been designed. A simplified version of the chamber was constructed and formaldehyde passive sampling devices were exposed within this chamber. Both CSC prototype and AQRG dosimeters were tested, and an attempt was made at calibrating the devices by verifying their theoretical sampling rates. The sampling rate for CSC devices was found to behigher than expected.

A comparison of the perfluorocarbon and tracer gas decay methods for assessing infiltration.

The passive perfluorocarbon tracer (PFT) technique for determining air infiltration rates into homes and buildings was evaluated in an environmental chamber. 

Effect of an exterior air infiltration barrier on moisture condensation and accumulation within insulated frame wall cavities.

A series of laboratory tests for moisture problems were conducted on an air infiltration barrier. One series involved the condition where warm and moist indoor air circulates through wall cavities. 

The problem of infiltration and air change. Final report. Il problema della infiltrazioni e dei ricambi d'aria. Relazione conclusiva.

Describes a project for the design, construction and evaluation of a mechanical ventilation system of small dimensions, easy installation and extreme simplicity.

Evaluation of the perfluorocarbon tracer technique for determining infiltration rates in residences.

A simple means for determining air infiltration rates into homes and buildings for assessment of indoor air quality and energy conservation measures, based on a passive perfluorocarbon tracer (PFT) technique, was evaluated in a well-defined environmental chamber under experimental conditions of 1) constant temperature and ventilation rate, 2) constant temperature, variable ventilation
rate, and 3) variable temperature, constant ventilation rate.

Pollutant emission rates from indoor combustion appliances and sidestream cigarette smoke.

Particulate and gaseous emissions from indoor combustion appliances.and smoking can elevate the indoor concentrations of various pollutants. Indoor pollutant concentrations resulting from operating one or several combustion appliances, or from sidestream tobacco smoke, were measured in a 27m3 environmental chamber under varying vent ilation rates. The combustion appliances investigated were gas-fired cooking stoves, unvemed kerosene--fi red space heaters, and unvented natural gas-fired space heaters. 

An improved multiple tracer gas technique for the calculation of air movement in buildings.

Describes a series of tests carried out in two interconnected environmental chambers, to determine the accuracy of airflows calculated from tracer gas measurements using a new rapid sampling system. The system is capable of measuring 3 tracer gases simultaneously.

Why low air velocities may cause thermal discomfort?

In this paper a hypothesis is set up for explaining the discrepancies between the relatively high acceptable air velocities found during many earlier climate chamber tests, and the much lower acceptable velocities found under many practical circ

An investigation of operational factors that influence emission rates from gas appliances

Reports the result of investigation of the impact of various operational factors on trace combustion products emission rates from unvented gas appliances including ranges and space heaters. The impact of the following factors on the indoor NO, NO2 and CO emission rates were evaluated under controlled conditions in an environmental chamber - 1) the appliance typeand/or design, 2) the primary aeration level, 3) the fuel input rate, 4) the time dependence of emission rates, and 5) the presence of absorbing surfaces such as wood, plaster board, curtains, carpets, linoleum and plaster.

Characterization of particulate and organic emissions from major indoor sources

As our understanding of human exposure to air pollutants improves, it is becoming increasingly evident that indoor environments play a critical role in determining exposures. However, it is not possible at the present time toestablish the relative contribution of indoor and outdoor sources to personal exposures, nor can the contribution of specific indoor emissions be quantified. To address these issues, a chamber experiment was initiated to measure particulate and organic emissions from important indoor sources.

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