DEVELOPMENT OF A MODULAR TOOLBOX IN SIMULINK FOR DYNAMIC SIMULATIONS OF VOC-CONCENTRATION IN INDOOR AIR

Journal article, 2005

Presence of volatile organic compounds in indoor air affects human health. Throat and eye irritation together with headache and weakness are symptoms related to volatile organic compounds. Hundreds of these compounds are normally present in indoor air. This paper presents a numerical simulation tool which is developed with the purpose to assess the concentration of volatile organic compounds in indoor air, taking into account the presence of building materials, furniture, appliances, and ventilation systems. To illustrate the program capabilities, the tool is used to assess the storage and release of toluene in an entire house. These results show a high degree of program reliability compared to prior measurements. The software has a modular structure to facilitate modeling of complex systems. All modules are organized in a toolbox that is available for downloading on the Internet to aid the process of program development.