A numerical model predicting indoor volatile organic compound Volatile Organic Compounds emissions from multiple...

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Building Science
• Indoor Air Quality

Background:

• Previous models focused on single building materials, not simultaneous emissions.
• Indoor volatile organic compound (VOC) concentrations are influenced by multiple emitting sources.
• Elevated VOC levels can inhibit further emissions from building materials.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a predictive model for indoor VOC concentrations from simultaneous emissions of multiple dry building materials.
• To incorporate the impact of dynamic VOC concentrations on emission rates.
• To validate the model's performance against experimental data.

Main Methods:

• Development of a novel model for predicting indoor VOC concentrations.
• Simulation of simultaneous VOC emissions from medium-density fiberboard (MDF) and consolidated compound floor (CCF).
• Validation of model predictions using field experimental data.

Main Results:

• The new model demonstrated good prediction performance against field data.
• A mutual inhibition effect on VOC emissions was observed when multiple materials emitted simultaneously.
• Indoor VOC concentration dynamics were influenced by initial concentration, diffusion, and partition coefficients.

Conclusions:

• The developed model accurately predicts indoor VOC concentrations from multiple sources.
• Simultaneous VOC emissions from building materials exhibit mutual inhibition.
• Material properties significantly influence the trend of indoor VOC concentration changes.