title: Influence of the inlet air in efficiency of photocatalytic devices for mineralization of VOCs in air-conditioning installations.
abstract: Nowadays, a large proportion of photocatalytic oxidation (PCO) devices are being implemented in heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems. However, no systematic studies have been carried out regarding the influence of inlet air preconditioning. To analyse the impact of the inlet air-conditions into photocatalytic efficiency, a simulated air-conditioning duct with flowing gas through inside was designed. Isobutylene was chosen as the target VOCs. The concentration in the gas phase was monitored using a photoionization detector. The influence of flow rate, relative humidity and temperature on the VOC removal efficiency was analysed. Experimental results were presented in terms of gas-removal efficiency (η) and clean air delivery rate (CADR) and analysed on a kinetic basis. From them, the weight of each parameter in the global process has been determined, from bigger to smaller contribution, flow>>temperature>relative humidity. Also, the relevance of the inlet air conditions has been illustrated in a model room in order to determinate the time necessary to obtain a threshold value accomplishing with enough air quality and the energy consumption of the device. Additionally, the photocatalytic decontamination has been assimilated to the "air exchange rate", a parameter commonly used in indoor air quality studies. The results show that preconditioning of air can improve the efficiency of photocatalytic devices and bring important energy savings.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Construction Sciences Eduardo Torroja, IETcc, CSIC, Serrano Galvache, 4, Madrid, Spain, eva.jimenez@csic.es.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Jimenez-Relinque
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Castellote
mesh_terms: D000389:Air Conditioning; D000392:Air Movements; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000032:analysis*; D002384:Catalysis; D003666:Decontamination; D006813:Humidity; D007700:Kinetics; D008956:Models, Chemical; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D055668:Photochemical Processes; D013696:Temperature; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds