Exploring Ventilation Effectiveness in the Laboratory

Ralph Stuart, Cornell University

Quantitative understanding of how the air flows in a laboratory is an important factor in determining the ventilation rate required to provide a safe environment. We have taken two approaches to this question: using carbon dioxide as a tracer gas to measure contaminant decay in a laboratory, and computational fluid dynamic modeling. Our results have shown that air change rates can vary significantly within a single space. This and the location of a contaminant source within the room will determine whether, and to what extent, laboratory workers are exposed to that chemical. This presentation will review our methods and results and provide case studies about how this work has enabled us to identify opportunities for ventilation rate, and thus energy, conservation measures.

Biography:

Ralph Stuart, CIH, is the Chemical Hygiene Officer at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY. He has 25 years of experience in Environmental Health and Safety and Campus Sustainability in higher education.

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