Building Energy Software Tools
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Indoor Air Quality Simulation Software and Application to Aerosol Transport

Fri, 2020-10-09 20:26 -- admin

In the first part we will introduce the concept of multizone airflow and contaminant transport modeling and present the capabilities of CONTAM. We will then touch on the advanced modeling capabilities that include coupling between CONTAM and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and co-simulation between CONTAM and the energy modeling programs EnergyPlus and TRNSYS.

In the second part we will present FaTIMA, which is a recently developed, web-based front end to the CONTAM simulation engine, ContamX. We will introduce the model capabilities, user inputs, and results generated. We will then present the use of the tool in evaluating the relative effectiveness of various measures to reduce exposure to infectious aerosols including: wearing of face coverings, increasing ventilation, increasing filtration, and using portable air cleaners. This presentation will help modelers, building owners, and facility managers to understand and apply FaTIMA to their own situations.

See the presentation slides here.

Learning Objectives​: 

Attendees will  be able to:
  • Describe NIST-developed, whole-building indoor air quality (IAQ) modeling software, CONTAM, and related simulation tools
  • Understand the fundamentals of multizone modeling and advanced capabilities of CONTAM software including coupled energy, airflow, and IAQ analysis
  • Describe the web-based software FaTIMA including its development, inputs, and outputs.
  • Apply FaTIMA to evaluate aerosol exposure as influenced by HVAC system type, ventilation rates, filtration, and other mitigation strategies. 
Training Category: 
Software Images: 
Short Description: 
This video has been made free to view for all. This two-part presentation introduces the indoor air quality modeling software CONTAM and the web-based tool FaTIMA for modeling the Fate and Transport of Indoor Microbiological Aerosols. These publicly available tools are developed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).