• Particle and aerosol research
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.139-147
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• 2013

The performances of indoor air cleaners including particle cleaning capacity and collection efficiency are usually tested at the condition of the maximum air flow rate of the air cleaners. However, the power consumption of the air cleaners is highly dependent on the air flow rate of the individual air cleaners. Therefore, there seems to be an optimized air flow rate for the air cleaning capacity considering power consumption. In this study, clean air delivery rate(or standard useful area as suggested room size) and power consumption have been investigated for different maximum air flow rates of 15 air cleaners and then compared those for different air flow rate modes of the individual 5 air cleaners selected from the 15 cleaners. For the maximum air flow rate conditions of 15 air cleansers, the power consumption per unit area was less related to the maximum air flow rate. However, for the different air flow rate modes of the selected 5 air cleaners, the lower power consumption per unit area was corresponding to the lower air flow rate mode of the individual air cleaners. When considering the operation time to the desired particle concentrations, there was an optimized one in the medium air flow rate modes for the individual air cleaners. Therefore, not only the maximum air flow rate but also lower air flow rates of individual air cleaners should be considered for estimating air cleaning capacity based on energy consumption per unit area.

• Particle and aerosol research
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.155-164
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• 2023

APS (Aerodynamic Particle Sizer) and OPC (Optical Particle Counter) have been widely used to real-time measurement of indoor and outdoor aerosols. The APS measures the size distribution based on an aerodynamic diameter, while the OPC uses optical diameter to measure the size distribution of aerosols. Since obtaining a size distribution based on aerodynamic diameter is important to understand aerosol characteristics, lots of researcher had been developed experimental equations which can convert optical diameter into aerodynamic diameter. However, previous studies have conducted repeated experiments on particles having a single diameter. In this study, an experimental method of converting optical diameter into aerodynamic diameter through a single experiment was presented. The collection efficiencies of an axial cyclone were measured using APS and OPC at the same time, and the correlation equation between aerodynamic diameter and optical diameter was driven through a theoretical model. Using the proposed method, the size distribution of NaCl particles measured by OPC showed a high correlation with the size distribution obtained by APS (0.93 of R-squared value). In the tests conducted on ISO A1, A2, and A4 test particles, the converted OPC size distribution tended to be similar to the APS size distribution, and for each of test particles (ISO A1, A2, and A4), the R-squared values for the APS particle size distribution were 0.75, 0.86, and 0.89, respectively.

• Particle and aerosol research
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.73-94
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• 2020

Particulate infectious sources, including infectious viruses, can float in the air, causing airborne infections. To prevent indoor airborne infection, dilution control by ventilation and indoor air cleaners are frequently used. In this study, the risk of airborne infection by the operation of these two techniques was evaluated. In case of dilution control by ventilation, a high efficiency air filter was embedded at the inlet of supply air. In this study, infectious source reduction devices such as indoor air cleaner include all kinds of mechanical-filters, UV-photo catalysts and air ionizers through which air flow is forced by fans. Two mathematical models for influenza virus were applied in an infant care room where infants and young children are active, and the risk reduction efficiency was compared. As a result, in the case of individually operating the ventilator or the infectious source reduction device, the airborne infection risk reduction efficiencies were 55.2~61.2% and 53.8~59.9%, respectively. When both facilities were operated, it was found that the risk of airborne infection was reduced about 72.2~76.8%. Therefore, simultaneous operation of ventilation equipment and infectious source reduction device is the most effective method for safe environment that minimizes the risk of airborne infection of respiratory infectious diseases. In the case of a space where sufficient ventilation operation is difficult, it was found that the operation of an infectious source reduction device is important to prevent the spread of infectious diseases. This study is meaningful in that it provides an academic basis for strategies for preventing airborne infection of respiratory infectious diseases.

• Particle and aerosol research
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.29-36
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• 2021

In this study, the clean air delivery rate (CADR) of ceiling air circulator (CAA) was determined under indoor environmental simulation conditions. An air filter was used to provide air cleaning ability to the CAA. The CADR of filter adapted CAA was evaluated and compared with the value of commercial air purifier. The installation of mesh-shaped filter on the CAA showed particle reduction effect on the particles over 0.4 ㎛ in diameter, but the CADR was up to 0.25 m³/min. When the filter having 99.9% in collection efficiency was installed on the CAA, its CADR was 1.52 m³/min, while the CADR of commercial air purifier was 3.19 m³/min.

• Particle and aerosol research
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.173-182
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• 2019

Since airborne viruses have been known to aggravate indoor air quality, studies on the development of anti-viral air filter increase recently. In this study, the pressure drop and anti-viral efficiency of TiO₂ coated ceramic ball filter were evaluated. After the filter being inserted into a commercial room air cleaner, chamber test with aerosolized bacteriophage MS2 was performed. The porosity of TiO₂ coated ceramic ball filter was 0.85, and pressure drop was about 13 Pa for 1 m/s of air velocity. The anti-viral efficiency was about 93% when the reaction time was 25 minutes in a 1 ㎥ chamber.

• Particle and aerosol research
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.109-127
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• 2022

Recently, low-cost particulate matter (PM) sensors have been widely used in monitoring mass concentration. Maintaining the accuracy of the sensors is important and requires rigorous performance evaluation and calibration. In this study, two commercial low-cost PM sensors(LCS), Plantower PMS3003 and Plantower PMS7003, were evaluated in the laboratory and field with a reference-grade PM monitor (GRIMM 11-D). Laboratory evaluation was conducted with single/mixed particles of PSL (Poly Styrene Latex) in an acrylic chamber at 20℃ and relative humidity of 20%. Field evaluation was conducted inside a building of Yonsei University (Shinchon) from February 12 to March 31, 2022. In both evaluations, LCS measured values became different from reference measured values when the relative humidity was high or the outdoor air PM10/PM2.5 ratio was high. Based on the field evaluation, the LCS measured values were corrected through four different regression analysis models. As a result, the multivariate polynomial regression analysis model showed highest matching with the reference PM monitor (PM2.5 >0.9, PM10 >0.85). In this model, the PM10/PM2.5 ratio and relative humidity were chosen as independent variables.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.360-369
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• 2018

Objectives: Outdoor tobacco smoke can penetrate into the indoor environment through cracks in the building envelope. This study aimed to characterize the particle size distribution of infiltrated secondhand smoke (SHS) through the gap in a single glazed and a secondary glazed window according to pressure differences in a chamber. Methods: Two polyvinyl chloride sliding windows were evaluated for infiltration, one with a glazed window and the other with a secondary glazed window. Each window was mounted and sealed in a polycarbonate chamber. The air in the chamber was discharged to the outside to establish pressure differences in the chamber (${\Delta}P$). Outdoor smoking sources were simulated at a one-meter distance from the window side of the chamber. The particle size distribution of the infiltrated SHS was measured in the chamber using a portable aerosol spectrometer. The particle size distribution of SHS inside the chamber was normalized by the outdoor peak for fine particles. Results: The particle size distribution of SHS inside the chamber was similar regardless of window type and ${\Delta}P$. It peaked at $0.2-0.3{\mu}m$. Increases in particulate matter (PM) concentrations from SHS infiltration were higher with the glazed window than with the secondary glazed window. PM concentrations of less than $1{\mu}m$ increased as ${\Delta}P$ was increased inside the chamber. Conclusions: The majority of infiltrated SHS particles through window gap was $0.2-0.3{\mu}m$ in size. Outdoor SHS particles infiltrated more with a glazed window than with a secondary glazed window. Particle sizes of less than $1{\mu}m$ were associated with ${\Delta}P$. These findings can be a reference for further research on the measurement of infiltrated SHS in buildings.

• Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.97-105
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• 2010

A quantitative single particle analytical technique, denoted low-Z particle electron probe X-ray microanalysis (low-Z particle EPMA), was applied to characterize particulate matters collected at two underground subway stations, Jegidong and Yangje stations, in Seoul, Korea. To clearly identify the source of the indoor aerosols in the subway stations, four sets of samples were collected at four different locations within the subway stations: in the tunnel; at the platform; near the ticket office; nearby outdoors. Aerosol samples collected on stages 2 and 3 ($D_p$: $10-2.5\;{\mu}m$ and $2.5-1.0\;{\mu}m$, respectively) in a 3-stage Dekati $PM_{10}$ impactor were investigated. Samples were collected during summertime in 2009. The major chemical species observed in the subway particle samples were Fe-containing, carbonaceous, and soil-derived particles, and secondary aerosols such as nitrates and sulfates. Among them, Fe-containing particles were the most popular. The tunnel samples contained 85-88% of Fe-containing particles, with the abundance of Fe-containing particles decreasing as the distances of sampling locations from the tunnel increased. The Fe-containing subway particles were generated mainly from mechanical wear and friction processes at rail-wheel-brake interfaces. Carbonaceous, soil-derived, and secondary nitrate and/or sulfate particles observed in the underground subway particles likely flowed in from the outdoor environment by human activities and the air-exchange between the subway system and the outdoors. In addition, since the platform screen doors (PSDs) limit air-mixing between the tunnel and the platform, samples collected at the platform at the Yangjae station (with PSDs) showed a marked decrease in the relative abundances of Fe-containing particles compared to the Jegidong station (without PSDs).

• Particle and aerosol research
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.79-86
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• 2022

Many commercial air purifiers currently have deployed granular activated carbon (GAC) filters for removing volatile organic compounds in the indoor air. GACs are generally used to remove gaseous contaminants in the air through adsorption by the inner surfaces of pores. In addition, airborne particles can be also filtered by the surface adsorption of the GACs, which can improve the life-time of the particulate filters. In this study, the filtration efficiency of GACs to ultrafine particles through surface adsorption was investigated at different volume flow rates by deploying a continuous particle filtration system. The polydisperse sodium chloride (NaCl) particles were generated by a set of an atomizer and a diffusion dryer, and then mixed with particle-free air at different volume flow rates. The penetration of ultrafine particles and pressure drop for each experimental condition were measured to figure out the effect of the volume flow rate on the surface adsoprtion of the GACs to particles, ~ 2 mm. The particle filtration efficiency of the GACs decreased as the volume flow rate increased from 4 to 14 lpm. However, the 5 times thicker GAC filter layer decreased the penetration of ultraparticles than a preious study. The filtration efficiency of the single granule was also higher than the previous result in the literature with smaller granule filter materials.

• Particle and aerosol research
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.115-123
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• 2021

The emission gas from meat grilled restaurants has unpleasant odor and sticky particulate matters (PM) in form of oil mist. This affects the residents living nearby. In oder to decrease the odor and PM, electrostatic precipitators (ESP) were installed at several restaurants by support of Seoul metropolitan government and emission characteristics of PM and odor were investigated. The removal efficiency of odor and PM at before- and after-ESP was that total hydrocarbon (THC), NH₃, H₂S, acetaldehyde, butyraldehyde were not much decreased. Total suspended particles (TSP) emitted from the vent was below the value of 7 mg/m³ regardless of the concentration of before-ESP and removal efficiency was in the range of 64 ~ 86%. The ratio of PM_1.0 to PM₁₀ of emission gas was over 0.9. So it was revealed that most PM of emission gas was PM1.0. The PM concentration in the air of the street near the vent was higher than another street due to the emission gas and the PM of indoor air of restaurant grilling meats was measured very high compared to outdoor air. So it needs more powerful ventilation of indoor air.