INDOOR AIR QUALITY MONITORING AND CONTROL IN EDUCATION FACILITIES

Abstract

Carbon dioxide concentration, temperature and relative humidity in an indoor environment are some of the main indicators of indoor air quality (IAQ). In addition, these parameters are directly related to the airborne transmission of diseases. In this context, ventilation regulation is essential to balance safety via air renewal, with comfort and energy efficiency. In this research, an educational space of Faculty of Engineering is considered as a case study to control IAQ. To begin with, the weaknesses of the ventilation and air-conditioning systems are analysed and identified. Next, a low-cost device to monitor IAQ remotely is designed, developed and prototyped with a set of sensors and control elements. Then, the room is modelled and simulated by means of computational fluid dynamics (CFD), to select the location (placement/layout and quantity) of the sensors responsible for measuring the environmental parameters that characterise the IAQ. Finally, the wireless collected data are evaluated for interpretation, thanks to an Internet of Things (IoT) platform, in real time or deferred. Key Words: Indoor air quality (IAQ), CO2 concentration, CFD simulation, sensor calibration, Internet of Things (IoT)