Study of Radon Propagation in A Dwelling Using the CFD Modelling Capabilities of CONTAM

Naturally occurring radon gas is the leading cause of lung cancer for nonsmokers. Limiting the amount of radon inhaled by residents when designing homes and HVAC system is of utmost importance. This report focuses on dedicated 3D CFD simulations of indoor radon distribution in a dwelling located in Madrid, Spain, using the CONTAM and CFD-0 software developed by NIST. CFD can be used and has many advantages for indoor air flow analysis with reduced mathematical limitations. The results are qualitative and show the possibility to calculate detailed volumetric radon concentrations inside a ventilated dwelling. This technique allows a better estimate of the radon infiltration rate to mitigate the accumulation of radon inside dwellings