Title: The characterisation of aerosol particle contamination as the result of carry-over and cross-over in enthalpy wheels

Authors: Rodney G. Handy, Kevin Rodgers, Jon Wang, Matt Tumey, Danny Rodriguez, William Hutzel

Addresses: MET, College of Technology, Purdue University, 401 North Grant Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA. ' MET, College of Technology, Purdue University, 401 North Grant Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA. ' MET, College of Technology, Purdue University, 401 North Grant Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA. ' MET, College of Technology, Purdue University, 401 North Grant Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA. ' MET, College of Technology, Purdue University, 401 North Grant Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA. ' MET, College of Technology, Purdue University, 401 North Grant Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA

Abstract: This paper provides results from a study that characterised the particle distributions found from variable contaminated airstreams in energy recovery ventilators (ERV) during two different test scenarios. The first scenario involved the measurement of the particulate concentrations during an operational situation when the pressure differential forces cross-flow leakage between the exhaust and intake streams. The second scenario involved the characterisation of aerosol particulate concentrations from the carry-over contamination when the wheel was not in operation. The findings from the study concluded that if a source of aerosol particulate matter is present in an environment utilising an ERV system, then cross-over and carry-over contamination will occur proportionally to the amount of aerosol particulate matter released into the system.

Keywords: energy recovery ventilators; ERVs; heat recovery ventilators; HRVs; enthalpy wheels; exhaust air transfer ratio; EATR; condensation nuclei particle counter; CPC; indoor air quality; IAQ; thermosiphons; carry-over contamination; cross-over contamination; aerosol particles; particle contamination; aerosol particulate matter; air pollution.

DOI: 10.1504/IJNP.2010.037140

International Journal of Nanoparticles, 2010 Vol.3 No.4, pp.378 - 389

Published online: 26 Nov 2010 *

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