title: Study of indoor radon distribution using measurements and CFD modeling.
abstract: Measurement and/or prediction of indoor radon ((222)Rn) concentration are important due to the impact of radon on indoor air quality and consequent inhalation hazard. In recent times, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) based modeling has become the cost effective replacement of experimental methods for the prediction and visualization of indoor pollutant distribution. The aim of this study is to implement CFD based modeling for studying indoor radon gas distribution. This study focuses on comparison of experimentally measured and CFD modeling predicted spatial distribution of radon concentration for a model test room. The key inputs for simulation viz. radon exhalation rate and ventilation rate were measured as a part of this study. Validation experiments were performed by measuring radon concentration at different locations of test room using active (continuous radon monitor) and passive (pin-hole dosimeters) techniques. Modeling predictions have been found to be reasonably matching with the measurement results. The validated model can be used to understand and study factors affecting indoor radon distribution for more realistic indoor environment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, National Institute of Technology, Kurukshetra 136119, India. Electronic address: neetika.nit@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Neetika
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chauhan
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, National Institute of Technology, Kurukshetra 136119, India.
authors.forename: R P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Chauhan
authors.affiliation: Radiological Physics and Advisory Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai 400 085, India.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Joshi
authors.affiliation: Radiological Physics and Advisory Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai 400 085, India.
authors.forename: T K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Agarwal
authors.affiliation: Department of Civil Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Kurukshetra 136119, India.
authors.forename: Praveen
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Aggarwal
authors.affiliation: Radiological Physics and Advisory Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai 400 085, India.
authors.forename: B K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Sahoo
mesh_terms: D000396:Air Pollutants, Radioactive / Q000032:analysis*; D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000032:analysis*; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D011834:Radiation Monitoring; D011886:Radon / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D000396:Air Pollutants, Radioactive; D011886:Radon
keywords: Computational fluid dynamics; Indoor radon; Radon flux; Radon monitoring; Ventilation rate