View in EDS

In-car occupants' exposure to airborne fine particles under different ventilation settings: Practical implications.

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: In-car occupants' exposure to airborne fine particles under different ventilation settings: Practical implications.
Authors: Tran, Phuong T.M.1,2 (AUTHOR), Kalairasan, Mano1 (AUTHOR), Beshay, Peter F.R.1 (AUTHOR), Balasubramanian, Rajasekhar1 (AUTHOR) ceerbala@nus.edu.sg
Source: Atmospheric Environment. Feb2024, Vol. 318, pN.PAG-N.PAG. 1p.
Subject Terms: *Particulate matter, *Ventilation, Computational fluid dynamics, Mine ventilation, Automobile seats, Railroad passenger cars, Choice of transportation
Abstract: Passenger cars/taxis represent the commonly used mode of transport in cities worldwide. This study offers insights into in-car occupants' exposure to fine particles (PM 2.5) in the city-state of Singapore. Real-time assessment of personal exposure to PM 2.5 was carried out simultaneously among four seating positions (two seats on the front side and two seats on the rear side) in a petrol-driven passenger car under different ventilation settings. Results show that the windows-open setting exposes car commuters to higher PM 2.5 concentrations, while the windows-closed configuration with the operation of the air-conditioning system and internal/external air circulation leads to relatively lower PM 2.5 exposure. To gain insights into airflow patterns inside the car, we carried out Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations, which reveal that the internal mixing of air inside the car cabin is restricted on its backside during the windows-closed ventilation setting, leading to higher exposure of passengers seated in rear seats than those sitting in front seats (about two times). In contrast, with the open ventilation, the PM 2.5 concentration is almost identical among the four seating positions, indicating that the car cabin is a well-mixed microenvironment in this ventilation setting. This is the first study in which PM 2.5 concentrations in multiple seating positions were simultaneously measured and their spatial distributions were simulated under different ventilation settings. Based on the study outcomes, we provide recommendations to reduce commuters' exposure to traffic-related airborne particles inside passenger cars. [Display omitted] • Windows-open ventilation setting exposes car commuters to high PM 2.5 concentrations. • PM 2.5 concentration is almost identical among the four seating positions. • Combination of windows-closed + aircon on leads to lower PM 2.5 exposure. • Passengers seated in rear seats are exposed to high PM 2.5 levels. • PM 2.5 levels were simulated using CFD models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Atmospheric Environment is the property of Pergamon Press - An Imprint of Elsevier Science and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: GreenFILE
Description
Abstract:Passenger cars/taxis represent the commonly used mode of transport in cities worldwide. This study offers insights into in-car occupants' exposure to fine particles (PM 2.5) in the city-state of Singapore. Real-time assessment of personal exposure to PM 2.5 was carried out simultaneously among four seating positions (two seats on the front side and two seats on the rear side) in a petrol-driven passenger car under different ventilation settings. Results show that the windows-open setting exposes car commuters to higher PM 2.5 concentrations, while the windows-closed configuration with the operation of the air-conditioning system and internal/external air circulation leads to relatively lower PM 2.5 exposure. To gain insights into airflow patterns inside the car, we carried out Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations, which reveal that the internal mixing of air inside the car cabin is restricted on its backside during the windows-closed ventilation setting, leading to higher exposure of passengers seated in rear seats than those sitting in front seats (about two times). In contrast, with the open ventilation, the PM 2.5 concentration is almost identical among the four seating positions, indicating that the car cabin is a well-mixed microenvironment in this ventilation setting. This is the first study in which PM 2.5 concentrations in multiple seating positions were simultaneously measured and their spatial distributions were simulated under different ventilation settings. Based on the study outcomes, we provide recommendations to reduce commuters' exposure to traffic-related airborne particles inside passenger cars. [Display omitted] • Windows-open ventilation setting exposes car commuters to high PM 2.5 concentrations. • PM 2.5 concentration is almost identical among the four seating positions. • Combination of windows-closed + aircon on leads to lower PM 2.5 exposure. • Passengers seated in rear seats are exposed to high PM 2.5 levels. • PM 2.5 levels were simulated using CFD models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
ISSN:13522310
DOI:10.1016/j.atmosenv.2023.120271