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Saxon State Office
for Environment,
Agriculture
and Geology
Jörg Dehnert, Diana Altendorf, Ralf Trabitzsch, Hannes Grünewald,
Ralph Geisenhainer, Veikko Oeser, Teresa Streil, Louis Weber,
Bernd Schönherr, Joachim Thomas, Katrin Forner,
Mandy Alisch-Mark, Holger Weiß
Radon protection in apartments by wireless
radon activity concentration-controlled ventilation
Saxon State Office
for Environment,
Agriculture and Geology
Dr. Jörg Dehnert, Diana Altendorf, Ralf Trabitzsch, Hannes Grünewald, Ralph
Geisenhainer, Veikko Oeser, Teresa Streil, Louis Weber, Bernd Schönherr,
Joachim Thomas, Katrin Forner, Mandy Alisch-Mark, Prof. Dr. Holger Weiß
.
1. Introduction
2. Field test at an unoccupied apartment block
3. First results
4. Conclusion
Radon protection in apartments
by wireless radonactivity concentration-controlled
ventilation
Saxon State Office
for Environment,
Agriculture and Geology
Dr. Jörg Dehnert, Diana Altendorf, Ralf Trabitzsch, Hannes Grünewald, Ralph
Geisenhainer, Veikko Oeser, Teresa Streil, Louis Weber, Bernd Schönherr,
Joachim Thomas, Katrin Forner, Mandy Alisch-Mark, Prof. Dr. Holger Weiß
.
1. Introduction
Radon soil air measurement in the Ore Mountains (Erzgebirge)
Reference: The Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS), 2019
Radon activity concentration in the soil air
one meter below the surface in Germany
Sand from the rainbow camp Prerow,
Darss, Baltic Sea
Testsite
Berlin
Ore Mountain
(Erzgebirge)
Saxon State Office
for Environment,
Agriculture and Geology
Dr. Jörg Dehnert, Diana Altendorf, Ralf Trabitzsch, Hannes Grünewald, Ralph
Geisenhainer, Veikko Oeser, Teresa Streil, Louis Weber, Bernd Schönherr,
Joachim Thomas, Katrin Forner, Mandy Alisch-Mark, Prof. Dr. Holger Weiß
.
Radon protection measures for buildings
Constructional measures
Ventilation measures
Elimination of low pressures
Air extraction under buildings
Ventilation of basements
Ventilation of rooms
Sealing of surfaces
Sealing of penetrations of cables and tubes, holes and cracks
Sealing of doors, flaps, manhole covers, etc.
Reference: Radon Handbook Germany
The Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS), 2019
- Project „Radon Protect Plus“
- Projekt „RadonVent“
simple
less expensive July 2018 – April 2023
Project „RadonVent” funded by:
Saxon State Office
for Environment,
Agriculture and Geology
Dr. Jörg Dehnert, Diana Altendorf, Ralf Trabitzsch, Hannes Grünewald, Ralph
Geisenhainer, Veikko Oeser, Teresa Streil, Louis Weber, Bernd Schönherr,
Joachim Thomas, Katrin Forner, Mandy Alisch-Mark, Prof. Dr. Holger Weiß
.
inVENTer ventilation with zone control and heat recovery
Principle of inVENTer ventilation with zone control and heat recovery
Ventilation unit with heat recovery
Reference: inVENTer GmbH
70 s
Supply air
Extract air
Extension of ventilation systems with zone control and heat recovery
by the control parameter radon activity concentration
Existing radonmonitor
„Radon Scout Professional“ (Reference: Sarad GmbH)
Principle of inVENTer ventilation with zone control
(Reference: inVENTer GmbH)
Goals of the project „RadonVent“
Development of a highly sensitive, miniaturized radon monitor for
wireless integration into ventilation systems
Remove radon
Minimize radon intrusions
Minimize heat losses
Works automatically
Machine learning and
artificial intelligence
Height 30 mm with SiPM (Silicon Photo Multiplier) technology
2
1
Complete
system
New radon
monitor
and
software
Existing ventilation
96 mm
Saxon State Office
for Environment,
Agriculture and Geology
Dr. Jörg Dehnert, Diana Altendorf, Ralf Trabitzsch, Hannes Grünewald, Ralph
Geisenhainer, Veikko Oeser, Teresa Streil, Louis Weber, Bernd Schönherr,
Joachim Thomas, Katrin Forner, Mandy Alisch-Mark, Prof. Dr. Holger Weiß
.
2. Field test at an unoccupied apartment block
Bad Schlema in the Ore Mountains (Erzgebirge)
Unoccupied apartment block as test site for ventilation experiments to reduce radon activity concentration with ventilation
units “iV14-Zero” and wireless activation of the controller “MZ-Home” by a radon monitor “Radon Scout Plus”
Test site „Unoccupied apartment block“
19 Apartments on three floors
Two entrances with staircases
With a semi-basement
All apartments heated
Floor plan of the apartment with ventilation units in the operating mode "Heat recovery“
VU
VU
VU
70 s
70 s
Ventilation experiment with heat recovery mode
- Ventilation unit
VU
- „RadonScout“ (radon monitor)
RS
Transmitter
Receiver
Controller
Living room
Bedroom
Kitchen
Bath-
room
Hall-
way
VU
Floor plan of the apartment with ventilation units in the operating mode “Cross ventilation “
Ventilation experiment with cross ventilation mode
VU
VU
VU
VU
Transmitter
- Ventilation unit
VU
- „RadonScout“ (radon monitor)
RS
Receiver
Controller
Living room
Bedroom
Kitchen
Bath-
room
Hall-
way
Hallway with controller “MZ-Home” and
receiver (not in the picture)
Experimental set-up
Living room with radon monitor “Radon Scout Plus”,
transmitter and two ventilation units “iV14-Zero”
Kitchen with ventilation unit „iV14-Zero“
Hallway, kitchen, bathroom, living room, bedroom
Two opposite exterior walls
Four ventilation units “iV14-Zero” with heat recovery
Five radon monitors „Radon Scout Plus“
Controller “MZ-Home”, transmitter and receiver
Heated apartment
Saxon State Office
for Environment,
Agriculture and Geology
Dr. Jörg Dehnert, Diana Altendorf, Ralf Trabitzsch, Hannes Grünewald, Ralph
Geisenhainer, Veikko Oeser, Teresa Streil, Louis Weber, Bernd Schönherr,
Joachim Thomas, Katrin Forner, Mandy Alisch-Mark, Prof. Dr. Holger Weiß
.
3. First results
Unoccupied apartment block as a test site
Course of the radon activity concentration on the basement
and first floor (bottom left), on the second floor (bottom right)
and on the third floor (top) in an unoccupied apartment block
Apartment block with three floors in the winter time
0
2,000
4,000
6,000
8,000
10,000
12,000
14,000
16,000
18.12
20.12
22.12
24.12
26.12
28.12
30.12
1.1
3.1
5.1
7.1
9.1
11.1
Radon activity concentration [Bq/m3]
Time [d]
Basement
Apartment 2
Apartment 3
Apartment 4
Apartment 5
Apartment 6
0
2,000
4,000
6,000
8,000
10,000
12,000
14,000
16,000
18.12
20.12
22.12
24.12
26.12
28.12
30.12
1.1
3.1
5.1
7.1
9.1
11.1
Radon activity concentration [Bq/m3]
Time [d]
Apartment 7
Apartment 8
Apartment 9
Apartment 13
2nd floor
0
2,000
4,000
6,000
8,000
10,000
12,000
14,000
16,000
18.12
20.12
22.12
24.12
26.12
28.12
30.12
1.1
3.1
5.1
7.1
9.1
11.1
Radon activity concentration [Bq/m3]
Time [d]
Apartment 15
Apartment 16
Apartment 17
Apartment 18
3rd floor
0 5 10 15 20 25
Basement and 1st floor
0 5 10 15 20 25
0 5 10 15 20 25
Apartment in the winter time
Course of the radon activity concentration in the five rooms of the heated apartment
with mainly opened doors (bathroom door partially closed) in the winter time
0
1,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
5,000
6,000
7,000
8,000
9,000
28.1
2.2
7.2
12.2
17.2
22.2
27.2
4.3
Radon activity concentration [Bq/m3]
Time [d]
Bathroom
Hallway
Bedroom
Living room
Kitchen
Door bathroom
closed Doors open
0 5 10 15 20 25 35 40
0
1,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
5,000
6,000
7,000
8,000
9,000
29.6
4.7
9.7
14.7
19.7
24.7
29.7
3.8
8.8
13.8
18.8
Radon activity concentration [Bq/m3]
Time [d]
Bathroom
Hallway
Bedroom
Living room
Kitchen
Doors
closed
Doors open
Apartment in the summer time
Course of the radon activity concentration in the five rooms of the apartment
with opened and closed doors in the summer time
50
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50
0
1,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
5,000
6,000
7,000
8,000
9,000
19.2
24.2
1.3
6.3
11.3
16.3
21.3
26.3
Radon activity concentration [Bq/m3]
Time [d]
Bathroom
Hallway
Bedroom
Living room
Kitchen
Doors open Doors
closed
Failure of heating
Apartment with failed heating in the winter time
Course of the radon activity concentration in the five rooms of the apartment
with opened and closed doors and failed heating system in the winter time
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35
Ventilation experiment with heat recovery mode
Course of the radon activity concentration in the five rooms of the apartment during a ventilation experiment with opened
doors and wireless activation of the controller “MZ-Home” by a radon monitor “Radon Scout Plus” as well as
four ventilation units “iV14-Zero” in the operating mode "heat recovery" at the performance level 100 %
0
1,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
5,000
6,000
7,000
8,000
9,000
43,547.00
43,549.00
43,551.00
43,553.00
43,555.00
43,557.00
43,559.00
Radon activity concentration [Bq/m3]
Time [d]
Bathroom
Hallway
Bedroom
Living room
Kitchen
0
Doors
open
Ventilation experiment
Doors open
246 8 10 12
Bathroom
Hallway
Bedroom
Living room
Kitchen
Doors
closed
0
1,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
5,000
6,000
7,000
8,000
9,000
8.8
13.8
18.8
23.8
28.8
2.9
7.9
12.9
17.9
Radon activity concentration [Bq/m3]
Time [d]
Bathroom
Hallway
Bedroom
Living room
Kitchen
Doors closed
Ventilation experiment
Ventilation experiment with heat recovery mode
Course of the radon activity concentration in the five rooms of the apartment during a ventilation experiment with closed
doors and wireless activation of the controller “MZ-Home” by a radon monitor “Radon Scout Plus” as well as
four ventilation units “iV14-Zero” in the operating mode "heat recovery" at the performance level 100 %
0 5 10 15 20 25 35 40 50
Ventilation experiment with cross ventilation mode
Course of the radon activity concentration in the five rooms of the apartment during a ventilation experiment with opened doors
and wireless activation of the controller “MZ-Home” by a radon monitor “Radon Scout Plus” as well as four ventilation units “iV14-
Zero” in the operating mode “cross ventilation" in the direction from kitchen/bedroom to living room at the performance level 100 %
0
1,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
5,000
6,000
7,000
8,000
9,000
30.5
4.6
9.6
14.6
19.6
24.6
29.6
4.7
9.7
14.7
19.7
Radon activity concentration [Bq/m3]
Time [d]
Bathroom
Hallway
Bedroom
Living room
Kitchen
Doors
closed Doors
open
Ventilation experiment
Doors open
30
0 5 10 15 20 25 35 40 45 50
The maximum levels of radon activity concentration in the unoccupied block
were 14,700 Bq/m3 on the basement/first floor, 6,000 Bq/m3 on the second
floor and 2,000 Bq/m3 on the third floor.
A good example was found for the significant increase of radon activity
concentration in apartments due to heating in winter time.
With closed doors there were high differences in the radon activity
concentrations between the rooms of the same apartment.
The wireless control of ventilation systems with the parameter radon activity
concentration worked well.
The ventilation system with zone control and heat recovery significantly
reduced the radon activity concentration in the apartment.
4. Conclusion
1
2
3
4
The research goes on.
Vision: Radon protection becomes a new standard for ventilation systems
to protect people in their homes.
5