The influence of HVAC systems on secondary organic aerosol formation

Chemical reactions between ozone and terpenoids can yield secondary organic aerosol (SOA), and the mass of SOA formed is influenced by the operation of the heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system. This study models the influence of HVAC systems on SOA formation in typical residential and commercial buildings. A parametric analysis explores the role of ventilation and recirculation rates, filtration efficiency and loading, and the operation of heat exchangers. The most influential HVAC parameters are the flow rates, particle filtration, and indoor temperature for the residential and commercial models, as well as ozone removal on used filters for the commercial model