Air Date: 12-11-2015| Episode: 394
Joining us this week is Author and ASHRAE Past International President H. E. Barney Burroughs (CIAQP, PM-FASHRAE). Barney Burroughs is a technical consultant in the field of Indoor Environmental Quality and is a recognized expert in Indoor Air Quality and Air Cleaning…
Full Description:
Joining us this week is Author and ASHRAE Past International President H. E. Barney Burroughs (CIAQP, PM-FASHRAE). Barney Burroughs is a technical consultant in the field of Indoor Environmental Quality and is a recognized expert in Indoor Air Quality and Air Cleaning. He is the primary author of the Burroughs/Hansen “Managing Indoor Air Quality”, now in fifth edition. Barney is the President and CEO of Building Wellness Consultancy, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in IAQ diagnostics and training, filtration, and related IAQ and Building Health, Safety, and Security issues. He is a prolific author of numerous papers/articles and is a lecturer on IAQ and frequently leads seminars on that and related subjects.Mr. Burroughs is a Past International President (1987/88) and Fellow of ASHRAE (The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning Engineers, Inc.). He has attained the ASHRAE Distinguished Service and Exceptional Service Awards, and was designated as a Distinguished Lecturer with ASHRAE’s Education Program. He is the current recipient of the ASHRAE Environmental Health Award.
Father of purple pellets
H. E. Barney Burroughs, recognized expert and technical consultant in indoor environmental quality and air cleaning was our guest on today’s episode of IAQradio. According to Barney, his career in IAQ began as a “filter peddler” selling air filters into healthcare field. Most IEPs know, have heard of or are familiar with the work product of industry pioneer Barney Burroughs.
Nuggets mined from today’s broadcast:
· The value of association. Participation in industry groups provides a leg up valuable information, education, networking opportunities, research and standards.
· Air filtration is rooted in healthcare.
· Air pollutants fall into two physical states, solids and gases. What about vapor? Vapor is a misnomer implying a gas phase when the reality is visualizing a liquid become an aerosol, aerosols contain both liquids and solids.
· IAQ is rooted in the concern over formaldehyde. The chemical formula for formaldehyde is HCHO, coincidently pronounced “hachoo”. Other aldehydes are also troublesome and irritating.
· Ozone is an outdoor air pollutant that can react indoors. Ozone can create particles during reactions. Nitrogen oxides are reactive and have a negative effect on building occupants.
· Some VOCs may be odorous and/or carcinogenic. VOCs, both total mass accumulation and singular ones.
· The human reaction to bad odor can be irrational due to fight or flight response.
· Removal of particles from air is more understood than the removal of gases.
· Aerodynamic sized particles of the same size behave similarly when arrested by filtration.
· History of adsorption began with WWI gas masks. During WWII as part of the Manhattan Project, chemosorbants were added to adsorbents to control materials such as radioactive iodine which jumps states.
· Use of chemosorbants was rooted in protection in equipment and then extended to protecting people. Active alumina with chemosorbants was used to protect computers and other electronic equipment from damage caused by acid gases.
· Activated carbon doesn’t remove oxygen.
· Early ventilation recommendations were based on Body Load (occupants as source of contamination) and were concerned with odor control and comfort. Current ventilation requirements are based on contaminates emissions from building components.
· There is no universal adsorbent or chemosorbent. Carbon monoxide doesn’t respond to adsorbents.
· CO2 is a surrogate indicator of air quality. CO2 is produced by building occupants.
· Submariners lived with high levels of CO2.
· Anything in excess can become a pollutant and result in health effects. The dose and duration of exposure must be considered.
· Extraction is a much broader term than filtration. Avoidance, source control and spot exhaust are some extraction tactics.
· Building occupancy recommendations should be based on building components.
· Outside air is an unreliable diluent due to contaminate and quality issues. Outside air is costly to condition.
· MERV is a designation not a rating. MERV is a reference to minimum efficiency level. MERV is a contrived average & classification. Knowing how a filter will perform against a specific contaminate is what is important.
· Intelligent combination of ventilation and air cleaning provides the best results.
· A holistic approach for IEQ considering the building site, the building components, occupants, exhaust, etc. is recommended.
Dieter’s commented that consumers often mistake a filter that is good for catching particulate will also be effective in catching gases.
Today’s music: Air Filter Rap- AHS video contest, YouTube
Z-man signing off
