VOCs transport with VOCs-adsorbing particles under VOCs emission from carpet

Abstract

Many kinds of Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted from building materials can deteriorate indoor air quality. Thus, it is essential to investigate how VOCs transport and how the airside VOCs concentration can be reduced. In order to remove airside VOCs, activated carbon particles can be used. This paper investigates the effect of activated carbon particles on the airside concentration of VOCs emitted from a new carpet in a room. A new numerical method for predicting airside VOCs concentration under the presence of activated carbon particles is developed, which includes spatially repeated iteration to get the transient airside VOCs concentration in association with the activated carbon particles’ adsorption of VOCs. The current numerical model is validated over an existing experimental result. Commercial software FLUENT 12.0 is adopted to solve the continuity, momentum, turbulence and concentration equations in two main cases under the situations with and without considering particle deposition. Numerical results show that the transient concentrations of VOCs in the air reach peaks, decay rapidly, drop slowly and remain in the room for a long time. When the particle concentration is at a higher level, the decrease in airside VOCs concentration is more notable. The concept proposed in this study can be utilized, with the use of activated carbon particles, to enhance the emission rate of VOCs in raw building materials before they are furnished in newly built indoor spaces.