An investigation of a passive opened top-end pipe as an alternative solution for passive soil depressurisation systems for indoor radon mitigation

Le Chi Hung; Jamie Goggins; Patrick Meier; Eugene Monahan; Mark Foley

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.141167

An investigation of a passive opened top-end pipe as an alternative solution for passive soil depressurisation systems for indoor radon mitigation

Sci Total Environ. 2020 Dec 15:748:141167. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.141167. Epub 2020 Jul 26.

Authors

Le Chi Hung¹, Jamie Goggins², Patrick Meier³, Eugene Monahan⁴, Mark Foley⁵

Affiliations

¹ School of Physics, National University of Ireland Galway, Ireland; Civil Engineering, School of Engineering, National University of Ireland Galway, Ireland; MaREI Centre for Energy, Climate and Marine, Ryan Institute, National University of Ireland Galway, Ireland.
² Civil Engineering, School of Engineering, National University of Ireland Galway, Ireland; MaREI Centre for Energy, Climate and Marine, Ryan Institute, National University of Ireland Galway, Ireland. Electronic address: jamie.goggins@nuigalway.ie.
³ Civil Engineering, School of Engineering, National University of Ireland Galway, Ireland; MaREI Centre for Energy, Climate and Marine, Ryan Institute, National University of Ireland Galway, Ireland.
⁴ All Clear Radon Ltd, Wexford, Ireland.
⁵ School of Physics, National University of Ireland Galway, Ireland.

PMID: 32818898
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.141167

Abstract

This study carried out a series of large-scale experimental tests and numerical simulations to investigate the performance of a passive opened top-end pipe as an alternative solution for passive soil depressurisation systems for indoor radon mitigation. Measurements were conducted in terms of wind velocity, extracted air velocity and negative pressure at the sump-end inside the pipe. Investigations were performed with controlled and natural wind conditions. Test results confirmed that the passive opened top-end pipe can be used as an alternative solution for indoor radon concentration mitigation at low additional construction cost. However, the extracted air velocity and negative pressure were found to fluctuate when tested under natural wind conditions. This fluctuation would reduce the effectiveness of the performance of the passive pipe. To reduce this fluctuation, a novel static ventilator has been developed and can be added on the top-end of the pipe.

Keywords: Passive opened top-end pipe; Radon; Soil depressurisation system; Static ventilator; Suction pressure; Wind.