Using Carbon Dioxide as a Tracer Gas to Measure Air Change Rate in a Single Zone

C. Simmons, F. Boelter, G. Crawford, Boelter & Yates, Inc., Park Ridge, IL

Presented by: Catherine E. Simmons, CIH

Boelter & Yates, Inc. 2004

Situation
Ventilation information was needed to perform a retrospective exposure assessment.

Procedure was needed to determine the ventilation rate in air changes per hour (ACH) for representative boiler rooms and an isolation test chamber.
Boelter & Yates, Inc. 2004

Research
Boiler Room Ventilation Published Information on Boiler Room Air Change Rates ASHRAE, BOCA and NFPA reviewed for ventilation requirements in ACH Ventilation Models Using Tracer Gas Published Ventilation Models using Tracer Gas Standard Test Method for Determining Air Change in a Single Zone by Means of a Tracer Gas Dilution ASTM E 741 00
Boelter & Yates, Inc. 2004

Problem

Existing methods allow for the use of a variety of tracer gases to be used. Each has advantages and disadvantages. Selected method

highly portable easily measured non-toxic or very low toxicity inexpensive

Tracer gas acceptable to school district personnel.

Boelter & Yates, Inc. 2004

Research

Standard Test Method for Determining Air Change in a Single Zone by Means of a Tracer Gas Dilution ASTM E 741 00 Tracer gases (examples)

CO2 PEL 5000 ppm SF6 PEL 1000 ppm CO PEL 50 ppm

Selection of test method

Concentration Decay Constant Injection Constant Concentration

Boelter & Yates, Inc. 2004

Resolution

Selection of tracer gas Carbon dioxide Relatively high PEL Inexpensive Easy to obtain and measure Acceptable to School personnel Selection of method Concentration Decay Test Method Measures the decay rate of carbon dioxide over time to calculate the air exchange rate. Regression Analysis InC(t) = -At + C(0)

Boelter & Yates, Inc. 2004

Sample Time
Air Change Rate (1/hr) 0.25 0.5 1 2 4 Minimum Duration (hour) 4 2 1 .5 .25

Minimum sample duration based on 10% uncertainty at the 95% confidence level in the detection of air change rate, a tracer gas concentration measurement precision error of 5% of reading and various air change rate. Using the regression method reduces the minimum test duration due to more than 2 data points.
Boelter & Yates, Inc. 2004

Boiler Room Ventilation Testing Using Tracer Gas

Representative Boiler Rooms Elementary School - IN Elementary School - IL Middle School - IL

Boelter & Yates, Inc. 2004

Gas Injection and Distribution

Boelter & Yates, Inc. 2004

Direct Reading Equipment

TSI Q-Trak

Log Data

Boelter & Yates, Inc. 2004

School Indiana
5500 ft3 Boiler Room Volume of gas needed Calculated based on room size and target concentration of 4000 ppm Vtracer = Ctarget X Vzone 2 boilers Input BTU/hr. - 117,000 Input BTU/hr. 156,000 Both boilers operating during the testing No mechanical ventilation
Boelter & Yates, Inc. 2004

Average CO2 Concentration vs Time Indiana Boiler Room - 2 Boilers Operating March 26, 2003
4500 4000 3500 3000 2500 2000 1500 1000 500 0 1 7 13 19 25 31 37 43 49 55 61 67 73
Time in Minutes Carbon Dioxide Concentration in Parts Per Million (PPM)

Trial 1 - Average CO2 Concentration (PPM) 5.2 Air Changes Per Hour

Trial 2 - Average CO2 Concentration (PPM) 5.3 Air Changes Per Hour

Trial 1 5.2 ACH Trial 2 5.3 ACH Average 5.2 ACH

Boelter & Yates, Inc. 2004

Elementary School Illinois

Measured Volume 24,322 ft3. 2 Boilers Ventilation tracer gas testing conducted with boilers on and off.

Boelter & Yates, Inc. 2004

Elementary School
Ventilation Rate - Boilers Off 1.8 Air Changes Per Hour March 27, 2003

Average CO2 Concentration vs Time March 27, 2003 C a rb o n D io x id e C o n c e n tra tio n (p p m )

5000 4000 3000 2000 1000 0
0 2 .2 5 4 .5 6 .7 5 9 1 1 .3 1 3 .5 1 5 .8 18 2 0 .3 2 2 .5 2 4 .8 27 2 9 .3 3 1 .5

4000 3000 2000 1000 0 0 18.75 37.5 56.25

Time in Minutes

Carbon Dioxide Concentration (ppm)

Trial 2 - Average Carbon Dioxide Concentrations with 2 Boilers Operating Trial 3 - Average Carbon Dioxide Concentrations with 2 Boilers Operating

Time in Minutes

Trial 1 Boilers Off - 1.8 ACH

Boilers On Trial 2 3.5 ACH Trial 3 3.9 ACH

Boelter & Yates, Inc. 2004

Average 3.7 ACH

Middle School Illinois

16,372 ft3 Boiler Room

2 Identical Boilers

Boelter & Yates, Inc. 2004

Middle School
Average Carbon Dioxide Concentration (ppm) vs Time Middle School March 21, 2003
Carbon Dioxide Concentration (PPM)

Average CO2 Concentration vs Time Boiler Room - 2 Boilers March 31, 2003

5000 4000 3000 2000 1000 0 1 11 21 31 41 51 61 71 81 91

Time in Minutes

5000 4000 3000 2000 1000 0 0 25 50 Time in Minutes 75 Carbon Dioxide Concentration (ppm)

Boilers On (1 boiler on part time): Trial 2 - Average CO2 Concentration 4.4 Air Changes Per Hour, GlenCrest School March 31, 2003 Boilers On: Trial 3 - Average CO2 Concentration 5.3 Air Changes Per Hour, GlenCrest School March 31, 2003

Boilers Off 1.2 ACH

Boilers On Trial 2 - 4.4 ACH Trial 3 - 5.3 ACH Average 4.9 ACH
Boelter & Yates, Inc. 2004

Measured Range of Boiler Room Ventilation

Summary

Boilers Off
Range: 1.2 to 1.8 ACH

Boilers On
Range: 3.7 to 4.9 ACH
Boelter & Yates, Inc. 2004

Isolation Test Chamber

2 viewing windows Approximately 20 x 20 x 9 (3600 ft3) Entrance airlock Decontamination Shower (if Wood Frame needed) Polyethylene sheeting on HEPA filtered exhaust walls and floors Boelter & Yates, Inc. 2004 machines for ventilation

HEPA Filtered Exhaust Machines for Chamber Ventilation System

Note: Using various configurations, both machines operated as exhaust (tubing was attached to machines to exhaust outside the building). Boelter & Yates, Inc. 2004

Installation and Measurement of Ventilation System

Various configurations to achieve approximately 1, 3, 5 and 10 ACH Carbon dioxide tracer gas used to measure ventilation rate. Each rate tested twice to assure repeatability. Final ventilation rates were: 1.2, 2.9, 5.7, 10.7 ACH.
Boelter & Yates, Inc. 2004

Carbon Dioxide Concentration (ppm) vs Time B & Y Test Chamber 5.7 Air Changes Per Hour April 29, 2003
Carbon Dioxide Concentration (ppm) 6000 5000 4000 3000 2000 1000 0 16:28 16:30 16:32 16:34 16:36 16:38 16:40 16:42 16:44 16:46 16:48 16:50
Trial 2 - high Trial 2 - low Trial 1 - high Trial 1 - low

Time

Trial 1 5.8 ACH Trial 1 5.8 ACH

Boelter & Yates, Inc. 2004

Trial 2 5.8 ACH Trial 2 5.5 ACH

Average 5.7

Conclusions

Ventilation rates for representative boiler rooms were between 1 and 5 ACH.

Using carbon dioxide as a tracer gas and following ASTM E 741 00, Standard Test Method for Determining Air Change in a Single Zone by Means of a Tracer Gas Dilution met the objectives and goals of the project.
Boelter & Yates, Inc. 2004

Benefits

Carbon Dioxide as a tracer gas

Inexpensive, reliable procedure for IHs to determine ventilation rates.

Measuring Equipment is readily available The method provides an additional tool for industrial hygienists to better characterize workplace conditions during the initial stages of an exposure assessment. Ventilation information is critical to the ability to perform and validate mathematical modeling for exposure estimation.
Boelter & Yates, Inc. 2004

Well Mixed Room Model - Constant Contaminant Emission Rate

G + C Q Q + k V Q+ k V IN L L 1 exp C(t) = t + C 0 exp t Q + k V V V L
Input Variables CIN G Q V KL C0 mg/m3 mg/min m3/min m3 per min mg/m3 Concentration in incoming air Generation Rate Exhaust air flow Volume of Room Loss Pathway (sinks) Initial concentration
Boelter & Yates, Inc. 2004

Effect of Ventilation Rate on Concentration of Contaminant

Predicted Concentration at 0.01, 0.1, 1, 3, 4, 5 and 10 Air Changes Per Hour
0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0
0 3 6 9 42 12 15 18 21 24 27 30 33 36 39 45

0.01 ACH 0.1 ACH 1 ACH 3 ACH 4 ACH 5 ACH 10 ACH

Boelter & Yates, Inc. 2004

Thank you! Questions?

Speaker Contact Information: Catherine E. Simmons, CIH Boelter & Yates, Inc. Park Ridge, IL csimmons@boelter-yates.com
Boelter & Yates, Inc. 2004