ABSTRACT
The term “ventilation characterization” deals with the airflow patterns that exist in the space being ventilated and the resulting ability of that airflow to dilute and remove air contaminants from that space. This chapter is concerned with the evaluation of what happens once this air is delivered to that space. There are four basic descriptions of airflow patterns that can exist in a given space; they are: plug (or piston) flow; displacement flow; completely mixed; and short circuiting. The chapter summarizes the various parameters involved and then provides a chronological review of some of the major efforts in this field that have attempted to define techniques for being able to evaluate and quantify the ventilation characteristics of a given space. Continuing with controlled laboratory investigations, there were some ventilation efficiency papers published in the 1982 special issue of Environment International devoted to indoor air pollution.
