A consortium of consumer products aerosol manufacturers is working with the U.S. EPA, Georgia Institute of Technology, and UIUC researchers to develop computer models and test methods that will predict the spray pattern, particle sizes, and ultimate deposition of particles from consumer aerosol cans. Particle image velocimetry (PIV) is used to measure the particle sizes, velocity, and movement as functions of time. Surrogate aerosols are used which represent most consumer products in spray characteristics.

Factors that affect performance of agricultural ventilation equipment are evaluated (e.g., fans, heat exchangers, inlets, evaporative pads). Results for commercially available equipment are published in booklet form and distributed by extension engineers and electric utilities. This project is in cooperation with electric power suppliers, swine producers, and fan manufacturers.

A new tracer gas technique was developed to measure the fresh air delivery to locations within occupied commercial buildings. The theoretical analysis and preliminary laboratory experiments are complete. Currently the method is being proven in field tests and developed into a standard method of testing.

Experiments were conducted in the room ventilation simulator to evaluate the reliability of the models for predicting indoor air quality. Working with the NRC, a practical model is being developed that incorporates new product emission information as it becomes available. Further experiments are planned to evaluate and refine the model for more complex and realistic room conditions.

The objectives are to evaluate ventilation systems and their effectiveness in pollutant removal and to develop the theoretical bases for understanding gas and dust emissions and absorption from surfaces in rooms. Typical office and residential rooms are physically modeled in the room ventilation chamber to measure the airflow patterns and velocities and the ventilation effectiveness for alternative ventilation systems. Surface emission and absorption rates as affected primarily by air velocity and turbulence characteristics over the surface are measured in convective environmental chambers.

New air speed sensors are being developed for measuring air speeds in the 0.05 to 0.5 m/s range, with the capability of estimating turbulence. Applications are for research and environmental control in plant and animal housing. Prototype instruments were constructed and tested in research environments.

The objectives are to develop a network of test laboratories capable of providing high-quality, uniform tests of building products, components, and equipment. The information will be organized into a database with general category emission information and manufacturer-specific information. The database information will be used in the IAQ model development project sponsored by NRC Canada.

The objectives were to measure the effectiveness with which fresh air is delivered to occupied space at different seasons of the year and as internal heat loads vary in typical commercial buildings with variable air volume (VAV) systems for air distribution. Tracer gas was used to determine the locations of leads in the air distribution. The amount of total air (fresh air plus recirculated air) was measured at each room diffuser in a multiroom, multistory building. The airflow patterns in selected rooms was also measured with tracers and flow visualization equipment.

Laboratory mice are a major component of medical research. Proper and uniform environments are required for valid research results and animal well-being. The environment within mouse cages is being investigated under various room environment conditions with an instrumented cage in a wind tunnel and tracer gas techniques. Full-scale rooms have also been analyzed for air flow conditions under typical laboratory animal facility designs. Laboratory studies are being conducted to provide boundary conditions for computational fluid dynamics modeling of air flow through and around the cages.

A series of tests were conducted on how design and ap pli cation affect performance of ventilation equipment and structures. Equipment tested included agricultural fans, grain-drying fans, evaporative pads, air diffusers, and building ridge vents.

Feasibility studies have been conducted on an air scrubber for swine building exhaust fans. Most of the odor exhausted from swine buildings is carried on particulates and a low-cost method of modifying existing ventilation fans to remove these particulates is being investigated. Methods of scrubbing particulates from fan exhausts have been investigated in the laboratory, and field studies are being conducted to verify performance.

Fundamental causes of odor emissions from swine production facilities are being investigated. Chemical compositions of the main components of swine odor will be identified. An overall program of reducing the odor emissions will then be coordinated through this research program. Areas to be studied will include adjusting animal diet, reducing dust levels, and microbial treatment of odors from various sources.

Existing dust removal equipment is limited in application to animal facilities, especially in farm animal buildings, as it requires frequent cleaning and/or replacement of filters. The limitation is due primarily to the contact filtration process. In this study, a prototype of noncontact, aerody namic deduster will be developed to separate dust particles from an air stream. Theory of particle cut size will be reviewed and modified. Parameters such as the deduster configurations and turbulence intensity affecting the cut size and particle separation efficiency will be determined. Data collected will be used to validate the theory.

Studies will be done to understand the interaction of factors that promote gas production in manure pits and lead to dangerous situations. From this information, potential control and management methods will be developed to reduce manure pit gas concentrations. Safety procedures and educational training materials will be developed for people working in and around the manure pits. Sensors will also be evaluated for ability to monitor gases in manure pits.

The grants from the above agencies have enabled our Air Quality Laboratory to acquire a state-of-the-art aerodynamic particle sizer and the accessories. Particle size distribution, number and mass concentrations, and microbiological compositions of dust from animal buildings will be characterized to aid in developing air quality control strategies. Together with gas chromatography, mass spectrometry, and other instrumentation, the Air Quality Laboratory becomes one of the best equipped for air quality research in the nation.

The existing aerosol sampling technology is a single point measurement, i.e., one measurement at one point at a time. To study the aerosol spatial distribution and behavior, it is critical to measure aerosol concentrations across an airspace at multipoints during the same time period. Otherwise, the time required for each measurement point will introduce large errors in aerosol distribution patterns which are highly time dependent. A critical air flow (air speed at the speed of the sound) device is being developed. The device will be able to maintain an accurate air flow regardless of the pressure. The device will be used to develop a multipoint aerosol sampler that can measure dust concentration at multiple points at the same time.

The thermal depolymerization process (TDP) is a chemical reforming reaction of organic compounds in a heated enclosure. Swine manure with 5% to 20% solid matter is processed in a scale model TDP. The products are a light crude oil, gases, post-processed water, and solid fertilizer. The objective of this proposed research is to examine the critical solids content of manure at which the TDP can be a net energy producer, i.e., oil and gas produced are sufficient to operate the TDP processor. Critical solid content will be determined to balance the energy output and input.