MECH 4350 Indoor Air Quality in Buildings

Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

HKUST

Mid Term Assessment

6 April 2020

Lecturer: Dr. Anthony K Y Law

Student Name:_________________
Student Number:_______________

Regulations

• This assessment is consisted of 6 pages. Students shall complete all questions

to get full score
• The completion time for this assessment is 120 minutes
• All answers shall be written on the provided answer book

Questions

Section 1. (Multiple Choice) 2 points@

1. Which is not the most common Radon isotope in atmosphere

a. Rn222
b. Rn204
c. Rn219
d. Rn220

2. Which is NOT the direct health impact for indoor RSP

a. Respiratory system irritation and infection
b. Lung cancer through long term exposure
c. Headache and disorientation
d. Visual impairment

3. What is the meaning of PM2.5

a. Airborne particulate matters of 2.5 micron by light scattering
measurement
b. Airborne particulate matters with equal to or less than 2.5 micron
aerodynamic particle size
c. Airborne particulate matters between 0.3 to 2.5 micron aerodynamic
particle size
d. Airborne particulate matters with medium spherical size range of 2.5
micron

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4. Which is NOT the criteria for designing a mechanical ventilation system for a
general purpose commercial building
a. Optimization of energy conservation
b. Supply good enough fresh air quantity for the occupants with respect
to reckoned engineering standard
c. Optimize the best way of air distribution with good mixture
d. Take away excessive moisture at all time

5. Which is NOT the advantage of using carbon dioxide as tracer gas for
ventilation measurement
a. The concentration is relatively stable in ambient
b. The instruments used to measure carbon dioxide is relatively low cost
and accurate
c. Carbon dioxide is not toxic so that high dosage application in the tests
will not cause any adverse health effect.
d. The metabolic exhaust is a good indicator for use in quick
measurement

6. Which of the following parameters measured in the HKEPD objective for IAQ
does not require long term measurement
a. NO2
b. Air flow speed
c. Radon
d. Air borne bacteria count

7. Which is NOT the reason that energy conservation arouses the issues of IAQ
a. It takes energy to bring in thermally treated fresh air for the occupants.
Saving is made upon less fresh air supply.
b. Buildings are more air sealed and inhibit natural ventilation rate with
more fresh air exchange
c. Moisture is built up more in sealed environment with human activities
and favor mold growth
d. Comfortable thermal setting for the air conditioning system increases
the chance of condensation.

8. The Radon emission rate inside an enclosed concrete building structure is

a. Easy to measure instantly by deducting the ventilation rate
b. Not related to the type of concrete applied
c. Directly proportional to the humidity of the environment
d. Directly proportional to the exposed surface area of building materials

9. What could be determined by conducting a CO2 tracer gas experiment in a

mechanically ventilated premises
a. The background CO2 level
b. The natural ventilation rate
c. The air exchange rate delivered by the ventilation system
d. All of the above

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 10. What is the suggested Radon exposure level for excellent environment stated
in the HKEPD IAQ objectives for offices and public places
a. 150Bq/m3
b. 100Bq/m3
c. 50Bq/m3
d. 10Bq/m3

Section 2. (True or false) 2 Points @

1. Personalized ventilation is the most effective way for removing contaminants

inside an office environment (T/F)

2. The relative humidity of the indoor environments of hospital is always kept at

low rating at all places and time to inhibit bacteria and mold growth
(T/F)

3. Indoor condensation problem can be effectively avoided by appropriate

temperature control setting of the air conditioning system (T/F)

4. Aerodynamic particle sizing theory is irrelevant to the density of the particle

in question (T/F)

5. Displacement ventilation is the most commonly used ventilation arrangement

for high tech fabrication cleanroom facilities. (T/F)

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Section 3. (Long questions) 10 Points@

1. a, A lecturer theatre with the overall dimension of 5m x 8m x 4m is located at

the basement of the campus. The air exchange rate for this theatre is designed
for 60 occupants under moderate activities. What is the air exchange rate for
this theatre (5 points)

b, Provided that the emanation rate of Radon in the lecture hall is 5 Bq/m2/hr
and the infiltration rate of Radon at the basement is 50Bq/hr. The ambient
Radon level is considered negligible. What would be the Radon level of the
lecture theatre at steady state during the day when the ventilation system is
turned on. (5 Points)

c, Please comment on the scenario by means of mass balance equation how

Radon accumulates in the lecture theatre after the ventilation system is turned
off at 23:00 and turned back on at 7:00. How the ventilation system operation
schedule affects the steady state of Radon level during the day time when
students are having lecture. Please make reasonable assumption and elaborate
the health impact to the occupants. (10 Points)

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2. a, Please convert 1000ppm carbon dioxide into mass concentration under
standard room temperature of 25deg C. Provided that the molecular weight of
Carbon and Oxygen are 12 and 16 respectively. Avogardro’s number: 6.02
x1023 (5 points)

b, Please explain how measuring carbon dioxide level within an occupied

premises could help to evaluate the fresh air exchange rate of the premises. (5
points)

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3. Please suggest all possible criteria for the best orientation to apply natural
ventilation in an apartment. Please answer with the aid of graphical illustration
and make sensible assumptions. (5 points)

End of paper