NIOSHTIC-2 Publications Search

The paradox of mixing in industrial ventilation.

Feigley C; Lee E; Khan J; Bennett J

American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Exposition, June 1-6, 2002, San Diego, California. Fairfax, VA: American Industrial Hygiene Association, 2002 Jun; :24

20022362

Deviations of dilution ventilation equations often assume that a workroom is well-mixed. A flow rate requirement computed using one of these equations is then multiplied by a safety factor, the portion of which accounting for deviations from complete mixing has been called the mixing factor (Km). Here the scale (S) and intensity of mixing (I) were determined for full-scale experiments at 2 Reynolds numbers and 2 Archimedes numbers, and for computational fluid dynamic simulations of workrooms of various configurations and 5 Reynolds numbers under steady, isothermal conditions. The relationships among Km S, and I were explored. In general, the Km required decreased with increased mixing. A cursory consideration of these results suggests increasing mixing to reduce the Km value, and thus the required flow rate. However, this is isadvisable if increasing room air movement might interfere with other exposure control methods that rely on keeping incoming clean air and source emissions segregated.

Industrial-ventilation; Work-environment; Simulation-methods; Air-purification; Exhaust-ventilation; Ventilation-systems; Air-flow; Models

20020601

Abstract

Grant

2002

Grant-Number-R01-OH-007626

DART

American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Exposition, June 1-6, 2002, San Diego, California

SC; OH; CA

University of South Carolina at Columbia, Columbia, South Carolina