Abstract
Daycare centers (DCCs) are pivotal in early childhood development, serving as a primary indoor environment for young children. A notable feature of DCCs, especially in the Netherlands, is the use of semi-enclosed baby beds
for children aged 0-4 years. These beds provide safety and comfort but pose challenges in maintaining healthy air quality due to their enclosed design, which is critical given infants' vulnerability to pollutants and extended daytime sleep. Prior research has indicated the need to improve the air quality in these beds, and suggested using personalized ventilation (PV) as a potential solution.
Therefore, the current study builds on this by examining the effectiveness of PV in semi-enclosed baby beds, addressing limitations of earlier research such as fixed air supply rates directed towards the wall side. Utilizing a
full-scale bedroom setup with a breathing thermal baby model, it evaluated the impact of three PV airflow directions (wall-side, head-side, cover-side), five ventilation rates (21, 37, 55, 65, 75 m³/h), and three sleep positions (supine, lateral-to-corridor, and lateral-to-wall) on bed-level air quality. For comparative purposes, a control scenario employing the MV (mixing ventilation) strategy at the ventilation rate of 55 m³/h was also examined. The experimental setup, including 23 CO2 sensors, provided an in-depth analysis of CO2 levels at various scales, with 34 experimental cases conducted across different ventilation modes, airflow directions, rates,
and sleeping positions.
The results re-confirmed the superior effectiveness of PV in mitigating exposure of metabolic CO2 emissions over the conventional MV strategy under the same ventilation rates. Moreover, the study noted that increased
ventilation rates typically corresponded with lower CO2 levels, although the optimal rate varied depending on the specific PV strategy and sleeping position. Notably, the PV head-side strategy consistently recorded the lowest
inhaled CO2 concentrations, highlighting its capability in effectively removing metabolic CO2 emissions.
In conclusion, this research underscores the crucial role of PV in improving air quality in DCC baby beds. It demonstrates PV's ability to optimize air quality at lower rates, suggesting energy efficiency benefits. These insights are vital for developing customized ventilation solutions in daycare environments, and advancing the understanding of bed-level air quality optimization using diverse PV strategies.
for children aged 0-4 years. These beds provide safety and comfort but pose challenges in maintaining healthy air quality due to their enclosed design, which is critical given infants' vulnerability to pollutants and extended daytime sleep. Prior research has indicated the need to improve the air quality in these beds, and suggested using personalized ventilation (PV) as a potential solution.
Therefore, the current study builds on this by examining the effectiveness of PV in semi-enclosed baby beds, addressing limitations of earlier research such as fixed air supply rates directed towards the wall side. Utilizing a
full-scale bedroom setup with a breathing thermal baby model, it evaluated the impact of three PV airflow directions (wall-side, head-side, cover-side), five ventilation rates (21, 37, 55, 65, 75 m³/h), and three sleep positions (supine, lateral-to-corridor, and lateral-to-wall) on bed-level air quality. For comparative purposes, a control scenario employing the MV (mixing ventilation) strategy at the ventilation rate of 55 m³/h was also examined. The experimental setup, including 23 CO2 sensors, provided an in-depth analysis of CO2 levels at various scales, with 34 experimental cases conducted across different ventilation modes, airflow directions, rates,
and sleeping positions.
The results re-confirmed the superior effectiveness of PV in mitigating exposure of metabolic CO2 emissions over the conventional MV strategy under the same ventilation rates. Moreover, the study noted that increased
ventilation rates typically corresponded with lower CO2 levels, although the optimal rate varied depending on the specific PV strategy and sleeping position. Notably, the PV head-side strategy consistently recorded the lowest
inhaled CO2 concentrations, highlighting its capability in effectively removing metabolic CO2 emissions.
In conclusion, this research underscores the crucial role of PV in improving air quality in DCC baby beds. It demonstrates PV's ability to optimize air quality at lower rates, suggesting energy efficiency benefits. These insights are vital for developing customized ventilation solutions in daycare environments, and advancing the understanding of bed-level air quality optimization using diverse PV strategies.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | 44th AIVC Conference, 12th TightVent Conference, 10th venticool Conference |
| Subtitle of host publication | Retrofitting the Building Stock: Challenges and Opportunities for Indoor Environmental Quality |
| Place of Publication | Dublin, Ireland |
| Publisher | International Network for Information on Ventilation and Energy Performance |
| Pages | 21-30 |
| Number of pages | 10 |
| ISBN (Electronic) | 978-2-930471-68-6 |
| ISBN (Print) | 3041-5128 |
| Publication status | Accepted/In press - 8 Oct 2024 |
