IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v19y2022i23p15666-d983709.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Active Soil Filter System for Indoor Air Purification in School Classrooms

Author

Listed:
  • Sungwan Son

    (Department of Environmental Research, Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology (KICT), Goyang 10223, Republic of Korea)

  • Aya Elkamhawy

    (Department of Environmental Research, Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology (KICT), Goyang 10223, Republic of Korea
    Smart City and Construction Engineering, University of Science & Technology (UST), Daejeon 34113, Republic of Korea)

  • Choon-Man Jang

    (Department of Environmental Research, Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology (KICT), Goyang 10223, Republic of Korea
    Smart City and Construction Engineering, University of Science & Technology (UST), Daejeon 34113, Republic of Korea)

Abstract

An active soil filter system was newly designed and evaluated to obtain a higher removal efficiency of fine particulate matter (PM) for indoor air purification in schools. Unlike passive air purification systems that remove PM using only plant leaves, air purification can be maximized by filtering polluted indoor air directly between the soil particles supporting the plant. The novel system is composed of a composite soil layer and a suction blower that forces outside air into the soil layer. It was found that the air purification performance was improved as the inflow air velocity upstream of the soil is decreased and the soil stacking height increased. The lower the soil moisture, the better the air purification performance. Considering both the classroom environment and the system’s energy consumption, it is recommended that the soil stacking height is 150 mm, the soil inflow air velocity is 2 cm/s, and the relative humidity is 35%. Under these conditions, the air purification efficiency for PM 2.5 is 41.5%. The indoor air purification system using the soil filter system, along with the currently used plant leaves medium, is expected to improve the indoor air quality in public facilities, such as school classrooms.

Suggested Citation

  • Sungwan Son & Aya Elkamhawy & Choon-Man Jang, 2022. "Active Soil Filter System for Indoor Air Purification in School Classrooms," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(23), pages 1-16, November.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:23:p:15666-:d:983709
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/23/15666/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/23/15666/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Yaolin Lin & Jiale Zou & Wei Yang & Chun-Qing Li, 2018. "A Review of Recent Advances in Research on PM 2.5 in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-29, March.
    2. Piotr Lis & Anna Lis, 2021. "The Required Amount of Ventilation Air for the Classroom and the Possibility of Air Infiltration through the Windows," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(22), pages 1-22, November.
    3. Seung-Hoon Park & Dong-Won Ko, 2018. "Investigating the Effects of the Built Environment on PM 2.5 and PM 10 : A Case Study of Seoul Metropolitan City, South Korea," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-11, December.
    4. Margareth Viecco & Sergio Vera & Héctor Jorquera & Waldo Bustamante & Jorge Gironás & Cynnamon Dobbs & Eduardo Leiva, 2018. "Potential of Particle Matter Dry Deposition on Green Roofs and Living Walls Vegetation for Mitigating Urban Atmospheric Pollution in Semiarid Climates," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(7), pages 1-18, July.
    5. Sultan Ayoub Meo & Faris Jamal Almutairi & Abdulelah Adnan Abukhalaf & Adnan Mahmood Usmani, 2021. "Effect of Green Space Environment on Air Pollutants PM2.5, PM10, CO, O 3 , and Incidence and Mortality of SARS-CoV-2 in Highly Green and Less-Green Countries," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(24), pages 1-11, December.
    6. Sungwan Son & Choon-Man Jang, 2021. "Air Ventilation Performance of School Classrooms with Respect to the Installation Positions of Return Duct," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-14, May.
    7. Aya Elkamhawy & Choon-Man Jang, 2020. "Performance Evaluation of Hybrid Air Purification System with Vegetation Soil and Electrostatic Precipitator Filters," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(13), pages 1-16, July.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Eunha Shin & Heungsoon Kim, 2019. "Benefit–Cost Analysis of Green Roof Initiative Projects: The Case of Jung-gu, Seoul," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(12), pages 1-18, June.
    2. Aya Elkamhawy & Choon-Man Jang, 2020. "Performance Evaluation of Hybrid Air Purification System with Vegetation Soil and Electrostatic Precipitator Filters," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(13), pages 1-16, July.
    3. Yanzhao Wang & Jianfei Cao, 2023. "Examining the Effects of Socioeconomic Development on Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5) in China’s Cities Based on Spatial Autocorrelation Analysis and MGWR Model," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(4), pages 1-23, February.
    4. Nan Jia & Yinshuai Li & Ruishan Chen & Hongbo Yang, 2023. "A Review of Global PM 2.5 Exposure Research Trends from 1992 to 2022," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-15, July.
    5. Shanyou Duan & Qian Liu & Dumei Jiang & Yulin Jiang & Yinzhi Lin & Ziying Gong, 2021. "Exploring the Joint Impacts of Natural and Built Environments on PM 2.5 Concentrations and Their Spatial Heterogeneity in the Context of High-Density Chinese Cities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-15, October.
    6. Marcin K. Widomski & Anna Musz-Pomorska & Justyna Gołębiowska, 2023. "Hydrologic Effectiveness and Economic Efficiency of Green Architecture in Selected Urbanized Catchment," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-19, June.
    7. Wei Xue & Qingming Zhan & Qi Zhang & Zhonghua Wu, 2019. "Spatiotemporal Variations of Particulate and Gaseous Pollutants and Their Relations to Meteorological Parameters: The Case of Xiangyang, China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(1), pages 1-23, December.
    8. Gül Aslı Aksu & Şermin Tağıl & Nebiye Musaoğlu & Emel Seyrek Canatanoğlu & Adnan Uzun, 2022. "Landscape Ecological Evaluation of Cultural Patterns for the Istanbul Urban Landscape," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-26, November.
    9. Bo Li & Qingfeng Cao & Muhammad Mohiuddin, 2020. "Factors Influencing the Settlement Intentions of Chinese Migrants in Cities: An Analysis of Air Quality and Higher Income Opportunity as Predictors," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(20), pages 1-18, October.
    10. Widya Liadira Kusuma & Wu Chih-Da & Zeng Yu-Ting & Handayani Hepi Hapsari & Jaelani Lalu Muhamad, 2019. "PM 2.5 Pollutant in Asia—A Comparison of Metropolis Cities in Indonesia and Taiwan," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(24), pages 1-12, December.
    11. Tori, Felipe & Bustamante, Waldo & Vera, Sergio, 2022. "Analysis of Net Zero Energy Buildings public policies at the residential building sector: A comparison between Chile and selected countries," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 161(C).
    12. Thomas M. T. Lei & Stanley C. W. Ng & Shirley W. I. Siu, 2023. "Application of ANN, XGBoost, and Other ML Methods to Forecast Air Quality in Macau," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-17, March.
    13. Farshid Aram, 2024. "Resources of Urban Green Spaces and Sustainable Development," Resources, MDPI, vol. 13(1), pages 1-5, January.
    14. Kun Lan & Yang Chen, 2022. "Air Quality and Thermal Environment of Primary School Classrooms with Sustainable Structures in Northern Shaanxi, China: A Numerical Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-19, September.
    15. Isidro A. Pérez & Mª Ángeles García & Mª Luisa Sánchez & Nuria Pardo & Beatriz Fernández-Duque, 2020. "Key Points in Air Pollution Meteorology," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(22), pages 1-14, November.
    16. Hugo Wai Leung Mak & Daisy Chiu Yi Ng, 2021. "Spatial and Socio-Classification of Traffic Pollutant Emissions and Associated Mortality Rates in High-Density Hong Kong via Improved Data Analytic Approaches," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(12), pages 1-27, June.
    17. Jong In Baek & Yong Un Ban, 2020. "The Impacts of Urban Air Pollution Emission Density on Air Pollutant Concentration Based on a Panel Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(20), pages 1-26, October.
    18. Xiaoyan Dai & Chao Wei & Liguo Zhou & Ping Li, 2022. "Identification and Characterization of PM 2.5 Emission Sources in Shanghai during COVID-19 Pandemic in the Winter of 2020," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(17), pages 1-15, September.
    19. Joanna Badach & Małgorzata Dymnicka & Andrzej Baranowski, 2020. "Urban Vegetation in Air Quality Management: A Review and Policy Framework," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-28, February.
    20. Ali Asghar Heidari & Mehdi Akhoondzadeh & Huiling Chen, 2022. "A Wavelet PM2.5 Prediction System Using Optimized Kernel Extreme Learning with Boruta-XGBoost Feature Selection," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 10(19), pages 1-35, September.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:23:p:15666-:d:983709. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.