Учёные СПбГАСУ и их польские коллеги изучают проблемы предельной концентрации оксидов азота
The level of provision of apartments and private houses with natural gas is rapidly growing. Unfortunately, along with increased comfort, gasification entails certain risks. Among them is the emission of nitrogen oxides during the combustion of natural gas. If the concentration in the air of the maximum permissible norms of these substances increases, a threat to human health might occur: dizziness and headaches, the risk of developing bronchopulmonary diseases.
Head of the SPbGASU Department of Metal and Timber Constructions Alexander Chernykh, Doctor of Engineering, together with Agnieszka Malizzewska and Alexander Shkarovsky, specialists from Politechnika Koszalińska, Koszalin University of Technology (Poland), conducted research on this problem and came up with recommendations.
✔ Researchers suggested specific measures: changes in the national sanitary standards and national building codes of the Republic of Poland. This is also true for building codes of the Russian Federation.
Scientists’ experiments, their conclusions, and recommendations are summarized in the article “Normative Problems of the Nitrogen Oxides Concentration Limiting in the Human Residence Environment”, published in the Environmental Protection Yearbook, published by the Polish Pomeranian Scientific Society for Environmental Protection.
"In our work, we consider the problem of maximum permissible emissions of nitrogen oxides, which are formed during the combustion of natural gas. Housing gasification programs are implemented in many countries, Poland in particular. In 2020, 90 percent of the households in this country will be provided with gas,” described Alexander Chernykh. “People want comfort and believe that gasification will increase their standard of living. However, as a result of burning natural gas, nitrogen oxides are released and the amount of oxygen is reduced, which implies stern demands on the ventilation of houses and apartments. A constant inflow of fresh air is required. Previously, before the appearance of double-glazed windows, wooden frames were installed in apartments and private houses, and this ensured good air filtration due to leaks and gaps. A constant air leakage was always present."
The widespread use of double-glazed windows has led to blocking of natural ventilation. However, small kitchens are quite traditional for the design of modern apartments. If a four-burner gas stove is installed in such a kitchen, then emissions of nitrogen oxides pose a serious danger to the health of apartment owners.
Fig.1. The maximum concentration of NOx in the test room during the operation of gas equipment
✔ The researchers compared sanitary standards and building codes in force abroad (in particular, in the U.S. and Canada) with the corresponding standards adopted in Poland, and concluded that the latter allow a much higher percentage of nitrogen oxides in the air in their homes.
“The current standards adopted in Poland and Russia are focused on production areas in which welding and gas are used. However, people often spend much more time in the kitchen than in the production area. We propose specific measures to reduce harmful emissions,” says A. Chernykh. “In particular, this is a change in building standards that regulate ventilation, and the installation of sensors that fix the content of nitrogen oxides in the air.”
Alexander Chernykh explained that they used a certified Sigma flue gas analyzer from MRU that meets the requirements of PN-EN 482:2002 standard for the analysis of chemical contaminants generated in the test room.
The measurement points were located in the nodes of the three-dimensional grid with a step of 10.0 cm, in the range of heights from 1.50 to 1.80 m, that is, the measurements covered the respiration area of an adult person. The measurements were carried out with closed windows and doors, in stable conditions. The stove worked with all the cooking zones turned on, except for the oven. The measurement results are presented in Fig.1.
Text: Elena Shulgina
✔ Learn more about the department of Metal and Timber Constructions and its research activities