Parametric Analysis of the Factors Impacting the Spatial Distribution of Particles in a Bus Environment

Zeinab Bahman Zadeh (), Bryan E. Cummings and L. James Lo ()
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Zeinab Bahman Zadeh: Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering department, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
Bryan E. Cummings: Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering department, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
L. James Lo: Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering department, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 3, 1-25

Abstract: This study presents a parametric analysis of the factors impacting particle distribution within a bus environment using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations, with a primary focus on the relative concentration (RC) of particles. The Novel Relative Concentration (RC) metric, which measures the deviation from a return concentration, was used to assess the effects of ventilation rates, the number and spatial arrangement of particle emitters, and thermal conditions. Our investigation reveals that increasing air changes per hour (ACHs) from 5.74 h −1 to 28.66 h −1 reduces the overall particle concentration by approximately 45%, but localized high concentration zones persist, with maximum RC values observed at 1.57. Scenarios with evenly distributed emitters achieved near-uniform particle distribution, with RC values averaging around 0.95, while clustered emitters resulted in localized high concentrations, with RC values exceeding 2.0. Thermal conditions were found to have a minimal effect on RC, with average values of 1.664 for cooling and 1.588 for heating, showing only a 4.68% difference. The RC metric provided clear insights into the non-uniformity of particle distribution, highlighting areas prone to higher concentrations, with some zones reaching RC values of 2.5, indicating concentrations 2.5 times higher than the well-mixed average. These findings underscore the importance of optimizing ventilation systems for both overall air exchange and uniform air distribution, offering practical implications for improving air quality and reducing the risk of airborne pathogen transmission in public transportation systems. Future research should explore real-time ventilation adjustments based on passenger load, the effects of different particle types, and the development of models incorporating human behavior and movement patterns.

Keywords: CFD; correlation coefficients; particle distribution; relative particle concentration; bus environments; thermal conditions; air change rates; emitter numbers; emitter locations; parametric analysis; sustainability (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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