VENTILATION & INDOOR AIR QUALITY

VENTILATION
Purpose Supply adequate oxygen Prevent build up of contaminants Maintain comfortable environment

Common types General dilution Local exhaust

VENTILATION
General

dilution - ventilation

Adds and removes air from work areas Natural convection; air movement Fans (mechanical) Air can be cooled, heated (mechanical)

GENERAL VENTILATION

Dilution ventilation appropriate if

(i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) Small quantities of contaminants Contaminants released at uniform rates Sufficient distance - worker and source Contaminants of low toxicity No need to filter before discharge Examples offices, car parks, industry

GENERAL VENTILATION

Components

Fans Ducts Inlet-outlets, heating/cooling, filtration

Disadvantages - general dilution

Difficult to control exposure near source Large volumes of air moved Can be more costly Cannot be used with highly toxic materials

VENTILATION

Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV)

Captures contaminants close to source Shifts small volumes at air of high speeds Removal not always 100% Ranks fifth in hierarchy

LOCAL EXHAUST VENTILATION

LEV System
Hood Ducts Air cleaner (if needed) Fan

Principles of LEV

Enclose source as much as possible Pick up points as close to source as possible Air withdrawn at sufficient rate to remove
contaminants (critical)

LOCAL EXHAUST VENTILATION

Advantages of LEV
Requires less air flow Contaminant not spread in workplace Can be very effective Can recover reusable materials

Disadvantages
Can be difficult to design Only effective close to source

LOCAL EXHAUST VENTILATION

Uses

of LEV

Most common type Toxic gases, vapours, fumes, mists Numerous industrial processes

VENTILATION
Evaluation of Ventilation (i) General Ventilation ( Natural dilution )

check location of windows, doors vents, check direction of prevailing breezes check air movement (eg smoke tubes) locate dead areas check levels of contaminants

VENTILATION

Evaluation of ventilation (continued)

(ii) General ventilation (mechanical)

guidance and design (eg ASHRAE) measure volume of air supplied and exhausted check air movement locate dead areas check air temperature check level of contaminants (if sources) check location of air intake-contaminant sources

VENTILATION
Evaluation

of ventilation

Exhaust ventilation system Capture velocities/air movement ( anenometer ) Suction/static pressure in ducts ( manometer ) Filter performance Fan speeds