New publication on the evaluation of air quality in exhibition halls
The Institute for Energy Efficient Buildings and Indoor Climate and Heinz Trox Wissenschafts gGmbH (www.htx-wissenschaft.de) conducted a field study at three trade fairs of Messe Frankfurt in the fall of 2021. The aim was to assess air quality and ventilation effectiveness in exhibition halls during trade fairs using locally resolved CO2 concentration measurements. The CO2 concentration was chosen as an indicator of the virus load in the indoor air, since the aerosols that are significant in the Corona pandemic and potentially contaminated with viruses are emitted during human respiration in the same way as CO2.
In addition to concentration measurements in the supply and exhaust air tracts of the air handling units, 22 positions in aisle, booth, and perimeter areas were considered. Furthermore, a method for estimating mean attendance based on the measured CO2 concentration in outdoor and exhaust air was used for a time-resolved reconstruction of visitor flows.
The results show consistently good mixing of indoor air without apparent local enrichment or vertical stratification effects. Thus, nearly ideal mixed ventilation is a good assumption. With a maximum concentration of 835 ppm on the busiest day, the air quality was within a hygienically insignificant range at all times. Furthermore, it can be shown that the CO2 concentration in the exhaust air is a good reference for the average concentration in the occupied zone.
Link to our publication: https://doi.org/10.18154/RWTH-2022-01845
Link to the press release of Messe Frankfurt: https://www.messefrankfurt.com/frankfurt/en/press/press-releases/2022/study-safety-air-quality.html