Determination of mechanisms and parameters which affect radon entry into a room

There are practically no direct techniques for measuring radon entry rate in the rooms. The suggested technique allows estimating such parameter under real conditions. The technique for radon diagnostic procedures including radon entry rate and air change rate assessment was proposed and tested in the field under various experimental conditions. The method consists of the continuous measurement of radon concentration, temperature and pressure difference between indoor and outdoor atmosphere. It was demonstrated that the study of dependence of radon entry rate on temperature difference ΔT between indoor and outdoor atmosphere allows to estimate the dominant radon entry mechanism – diffusion mechanism (absence of the dependence on ΔT) or convective (radon entry rate increase at ΔT increase). It was shown that simultaneous measurements of time series of radon concentration and pressure difference between building envelope and outdoor atmosphere allow assessing such room parameter as Effective Leakage Area. The approach applied in this paper to estimate the air change rate practically is not differing from tracer gas techniques when the constant gas entry rate is used. It was shown that radon could be used as kind of tracer gas to estimate the air change rate. Obtained measurement results for all buildings confirmed the seasonal variations of radon concentrations. A correlation of radon concentration and air change rate with outside temperature occurred in general. -- Highlights: • Technique of the assessment of radon entry rate in the room is developed. • Continuous measurements of radon concentration and temperature difference are used. • Technique allows estimating the dominant radon entry mechanism: diffusion/advective. • The dominance of diffusion radon entry is demonstrated for some of the rooms. • Dependence of the effective leakage area on temperature difference are demonstrated