Rapid Air Flow and Contaminant Transport Modeling

To determine contingency plans in the event of a terrorist attack or accidental agent release, building managers and engineers need to accurately and rapidly determine air flow rates and residence times for a facility. The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State) developed CONTAM PCW, a software tool that identifies a set of simple measurements to confirm airflow predictions, which can then be used to refine the building model, guide security procedures, position sensors, and develop hazard response practices. The software is based on version 2.1 of CONTAMW, NIST’s airflow and contaminant D21 transport analysis software tool (publicly available on the Web), and was subsequently upgraded to be compatible with CONTAM 2.4. The software provides model tuning techniques and an enhanced, easier-to-use interface. In 2006 Penn State conducted large-scale building air flow tests to validate the model. For additional information please fill out the Contact Information Form.