Experiment and numerical investigation of inhalable particles and indoor environment with ventilation system

After the outbreak of COVID-19, the indoor environment has become particularly important in closed spaces, being a common concern in environmental science and public health, and of great significance for the building environment. To improve the indoor air quality and control the spread of viruses, the analysis of inhalable particles in indoor environments is critical. In this research, we study standards focused on inhalable particles and indoor environmental quality, as well as analyzing the movement and diffusion of indoor particles. Based on our analysis, we conduct an experimental study to determine the distribution of indoor inhalable particles of different sizes before and after diffusion under the conditions of underfloor air distribution. Furthermore, the mathematical modeling method is adopted to simulate the indoor flow field, particle trajectories, and pollutant dispersion process. The k-ε two-equation model is applied as the turbulence model in the numerical simulation, while the Lagrangian discrete phase model is adopted to trace the motion of particles and analyze the distribution characteristics of indoor particles. The results demonstrate that fine particles (i.e., those with size less than 0.5 μm) have a significant impact on the indoor particle concentration, while coarse particles (i.e., with size above 2.5 μm) have a greater influence on the total mass concentration of indoor particles. Small-sized particles can easily follow the airflow and diffuse to upper parts of the room. Overall, the effects of indoor particles on indoor air quality, including the potential threat of aerosol transmission of respiratory infectious diseases, are non-negligible. Application of the presented research can contribute to improving the health-related aspects of the building environment.