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Deposition of biological aerosols on HVAC heat exchangers.

Author(s) : SIEGEL J. A., WALKER I. S.

Summary

Many biologically active materials are transported as bioaerosols, 1 to 10 µm in diameter. These particles can deposit on cooling and heating coils and lead to serious indoor air quality problems. The paper investigates several of the mechanisms that lead to aerosol deposition on fin-and-tube heat exchangers. A model has been developed that incorporates the effects of several deposition mechanisms, including impaction, Brownian and turbulent diffusion, turbophoresis, thermophoresis, diffusiophoresis, and gravitational settling. The model is applied to a typical range of air velocities that are found in commercial and residential HVAC systems of 1 to 6 m/s and fin spacings from 3.2 to 7.9 fins/cm. The results from the model are compared to the results from an experimental apparatus that directly measures deposition on a 4.7 fins/cm oil. The model agrees reasonably well with these measured data and suggests that cooling coils are an important sink for biological aerosols and, consequently, a potential source of indoor air quality problems.

Details

  • Original title: Deposition of biological aerosols on HVAC heat exchangers.
  • Record ID : 2005-1467
  • Languages: English
  • Source: IAQ 2001. Moisture, microbes and health effects: indoor air quality and moisture in buildings [CD-ROM].
  • Publication date: 2002

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