Reducing indoor air contaminants inside a bus passenger compartment

Abstract

Good ventilation system in a bus passenger compartment is important for providing clean, healthy air and comfortable micro-environment for passengers. Lack of fresh air inside the bus compartment could increase the contaminant concentration level and affect the passenger's health. This research presents field measurement on contaminant concentration level of particulate matter and carbon monoxide inside the passenger compartment of a university's shuttle bus. The field measurements were conducted at the front, middle and rear locations of the passenger compartment. Computational fluid dynamics software was used to develop a simplified three-dimensional model of the bus passenger compartment. Two cases of air return grilles location namely three air return grilles and four air return grilles were performed. The results show that four air return grilles could reduce the contaminant concentration levels of CO and PM1 inside the bus passenger compartment.