Ultrafine particles control strategy in printer rooms: model and experiment study on portable air cleaner and HVAC combination

Paper in proceeding, 2009

Printers may show a substantial ultrafine particles (UFP) generation for short printing periods. To evaluate efficient strategies for control of printer pollution, the present paper examines the cleaning performance and economical benefit of a combination between portable electrostatic air cleaners (AC) and ventilation. The study is based on both field experiments and experiments in a test chamber. A particle number balance model was also built up. It shows that, with the same sum of ventilation air flow rate (Qv) and AC clean air delivery rate (CADR), if no outdoor pollution influence, the cleaning performance is constant. The measurements indicate that although the particle exposure (e.g. average concentration) may be strongly reduced by adding an air cleaner with sufficient CADR, the maximum (peak) concentration is not reduced to the same extent. Considering the saving of ventilation operation cost the economical benefit of AC and HVAC combination is clear.