Transport of gaseous pollutants by convective boundary layer around a human body

The impact of the source location in the vicinity of a human body is examined in relation to pollution distribution in the breathing zone and the thickness of the pollution boundary layer. The study, in addition, evaluates the effects of the room air temperature, table positioning, and seated body inclination.

The human body is represented by a thermal manikin that has a body shape, size, and surface temperature that resemble those of a real person. The results show that the source location has a considerable influence on the breathing zone pollution concentrations and on the thickness of the pollution boundary layer. The highest breathing zone concentrations are achieved when the pollution is located at the chest, while there is negligible exposure for the pollution emitted at the upper back or behind the chair.