Effect of Flow Rate and Filter Efficiency on Indoor PM2.5 in Ventilation and Filtration Control

Abstract

Ventilation and filtration control play a critical role in determining indoor PM2.5 (particles less than 2.5 μm in aerodynamic diameter) concentrations of outdoor or indoor origin in residential environments. The objective of this study was to investigate the combined effects of flow rates and filter efficiency on indoor PM2.5 concentrations of residential buildings in Seoul, Korea. Using a particle model based on a mass–balance equation, parametric analysis was performed to examine indoor PM2.5 concentrations according to flow rates and filter efficiency under a wide range of outdoor concentrations and indoor generations. Results showed that ventilation control equipped with a medium–efficiency filter was as effective as that with a high-efficiency filter under normal outdoor concentration and high indoor generation rate conditions. It is not recommended to apply a low-efficiency filter because indoor concentration increases rapidly as outdoor PM2.5 increases when ventilation flow rate is high. For filtration control, it is important to increase both flow rate and filter efficiency in order to improve indoor PM2.5 concentration.