In a furnished experimental facility with three workstations separated by partitions, we studied the indoor airflow patterns and tobacco smoke removal efficiency of a desktop task ventilation system. The task ventilation system permits occupant control of the temperature, flow rate, and direction of air supplied through two desk-mounted supply nozzles. In the configuration evaluated, air exited the ventilated space through a ceiling-mounted return grille. To study indoor airflow patterns, we measured the age of air at multiple indoor locations using the tracer gas step-up procedure. To study the intraroom transport of tobacco smoke particles and the efficiency of particle removal by ventilation, a cigarette was smoked mechanically in one workstation and particle concentrations were measured at multiple indoor locations, including the exhaust airstream. Test variables included the direction of air supply from the nozzles, supply nozzle area, supply flow rate and temperature, percent recirculation of chamber air, and internal heat loads. Presents the major findings.

KEYWORDS: Indoor, air flow, rooms, contaminants, ventilation, ventilated furniture, tobacco smoke, efficiency, tracers, measuring, particles, local ventilation, air quality.