WO2017115053A1

WO2017115053A1 - Method and device for quick, on-site location of a pollutant source in an indoor environment

Info

Publication number: WO2017115053A1
Application number: PCT/FR2016/053680
Authority: WO
Inventors: Julie Delahaye; Cyrille LEVY; Hélène BUEE
Original assignee: Engie
Priority date: 2015-12-31
Filing date: 2016-12-29
Publication date: 2017-07-06
Also published as: FR3046462A1; FR3046462B1

Abstract

The invention relates to a method (100) for quick, on-site location of pollutant sources in an indoor environment, comprising: a first step (120) of measuring an amount of at least one pollutant in the air of the environment; and, for each amount of a pollutant measured above a predetermined limit value, a step (140) of locating the source of said pollutant, comprising: a step (145) of moving a collection point in the environment, followed by a second step (150) of measuring the pollutant and/or a step (160) of determining a pollution source on the basis of the measured amount and stored data. Upstream from each first measurement step (120), the method comprises: a step (105) of selecting a type of environment and/or building; a step (110) of selecting pollutants to be located, on the basis of the type of environment and/or building; and a step (115) of determining values of measurement parameters to be implemented in each first measurement step, as a function of the pollutants to be located.

Description

METHOD AND DEVICE FOR RAPID AND IN-SITU LOCALIZATION OF POLLUTANT SOURCE IN INDOOR ENVIRONMENT

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a method and a device for rapid localization and in-situ source of pollutant in indoor environment. It applies, in particular, to the measurement of indoor air quality in public or private premises.

STATE OF THE ART

Indoor air quality, or "IAQ", refers to the state of air pollution inside an enclosed space. Indoor air pollutants fall into three categories: physical pollutants: fine particles contained in tobacco smoke and outdoor air,

chemical pollutants: gaseous pollutants (Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), CO, NOx, CO2, hydrocarbons, radon) emitted for example by combustion appliances, materials and construction, furnishing, decoration and maintenance products , by human activities like smoking and

biological pollutants: bacteria, viruses and fungal spores due to the presence of domestic animals, molds, mites, cockroaches. These pollutants are responsible for 15 to 20% of allergic diseases in the population.

Moisture is not a pollutant as it is usually understood, but it is the main cause of insalubrity. It promotes the development of cockroaches, allergens, mites and the presence of mold.

In France, indoor air quality guide-lines (IAGVs), based exclusively on health criteria, aim to protect the general population from any adverse effects related to exposure to a substance via air. These values, proposed by the National Agency for Sanitary Safety of Food, Environment and Labor (ANSES), constitute the scientific base used by the public authorities to set regulatory values for monitoring air quality. inside. At present, only chemical pollutants are subject to IAGVs.

Due to the increasing insulation of buildings, indoor air pollution has become a growing concern for the comfort and health of occupants. However, there is no simple method today to determine the quality of indoor air in real time mainly for two reasons: There are more than 1,000 chemical pollutants in indoor air each with different impacts on comfort, health and occupant safety

The concentration of these pollutants is generally very low, of the order of a few parts per billion (ppb).

To evaluate the IAQ, low-cost sensors, of the order of a few hundred euros or even less, give an estimate of the air pollution rate in situ and in real time, but without discriminating pollutants having an impact on air quality. health of those who do not have it. In this case, it is impossible for a user to know how to reduce the level of indoor air pollution, apart from airing, without having recourse to an expert.

Another way is to take the air on cartridges and analyze them in the laboratory with expensive analyzers, whose cost is of the order of several tens of thousands of euros, but very powerful. Although this second method is now considered as a reference, it has several disadvantages:

before knowing if the environment is polluted, it is necessary to wait several days: the sampling lasts between 1 hour and 5 days and the analysis of the results in laboratory takes on average 2 weeks and, in the case where it is proves that the environment is polluted, it is necessary to take new air samples and analyze them in order to locate the source of pollution emission and start issuing recommendations to remedy this pollution problem,

- its cost is high: the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development estimates the cost of a diagnosis at around 2600 euros per establishment and

it requires an expert operator to be able to identify the origin of the pollution. Today, IAQ measures are mandatory, or will become, for some types of interiors.

The National Environmental Commitment Act made the monitoring of indoor air quality mandatory in certain establishments receiving a sensitive public (Articles L. 221 -8 and R. 221-30 et seq. Of the Environment Code). ). The institutions concerned include those with children.

The regulatory framework governing the monitoring of indoor air quality in these establishments, currently being published, includes:

an evaluation of the means of aeration which can be carried out by the technical services of the establishment and

the implementation, to choose:

a pollutant measurement campaign (formaldehyde, benzene, CO2 to assess containment and possibly perchlorethylene for establishments adjoining a dry-cleaner) by an accredited body and / or a self-assessment of air quality using the practical guide for better air quality in child-friendly areas, supplemented by an action plan.

The first deadline, set for 2018, concerns nurseries, kindergartens and primary schools.

In the case where a measurement campaign is carried out by an accredited body, the diagnosis of indoor air is carried out using conventional techniques: sampling by sampling cartridges then laboratory analyzes with results provided within two weeks.

The cartridges are installed either by professionals or by the customers themselves. In the case where the customers install the cartridges themselves, there is a risk that the samples are not carried out correctly (misplacement, mishandling) thus inducing distorted results.

According to previous national measurement campaigns, the Observatory for Indoor Air Quality (OQAI) estimates that 20% of establishments are likely to exceed the regulatory thresholds in 2018 and 80% in 2023 due to a lowering thresholds between 2018 and 2023. Due to the mandatory publication of results, institutions and local authorities wish to use pre-diagnosis to avoid anxiety-provoking communication. These pre-diagnoses must be fast, efficient, easily deployable and cost-effective.

Contemporary techniques, called spontaneous analysis, include rods that stain in the presence of a specific pollutant (today, this is the case only for formaldehyde). The result can be read immediately but no recommendation is provided. Only general recommendations disseminated by the MEDDE ministry, the OQAI (Observatory for Indoor Air Quality) or ADEME are eventually provided.

Finally, other contemporary techniques, called continuous analysis, make it possible to perform in-situ analyzes in real time. These techniques consist of a comfort control of the IAQ parameters: temperature, CO 2, relative humidity and possible addition of total VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds), or even identification of problems related to ventilation.

However, in these systems, the interpretation of the results is not sufficient to identify sources of pollution. The presence of an expert is necessary.

It is therefore necessary to find a system that can perform measurements in real time and in situ. This system must also make it possible to discriminate pollutants of interest and present a level of embedded expertise high enough for an interpretation of the results instantly, thus avoiding the displacement of an expert. OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The present invention aims to remedy all or part of these disadvantages.

For this purpose, according to a first aspect, the present invention aims at a method for rapid localization and in-situ pollution sources in indoor environment, which comprises:

a first step of measuring a quantity of at least one pollutant in the air of the environment and

for each quantity of a pollutant measured beyond a predetermined limit value, a step of locating the source of said pollutant comprising:

a step of moving a sampling point in the environment, followed by a second step of measuring the pollutant and / or

a step of determining a source of pollution as a function of the measured quantity and of the stored data;

and, upstream of each first measurement step:

a step of selecting a type of environment and / or building,

a step of selecting pollutants to be located, according to the type of environment and / or building and

a step of determining values of measurement parameters to be implemented in each first measurement step, as a function of the pollutants to be located.

With these provisions, an operator who is not an expert in IAQ and who manipulates a device implementing the process can both diagnose the environment in search of excessive amounts of pollutants and search for a source of this pollution in case of excessive quantity of pollutant. determined. In this way, it is not necessary to transmit to a remote laboratory the place of sampling of the captured samples. The measurement is, in the case of the method object of the invention, in-situ with the source search performed immediately after the measurement. By adding to this process a step of posting recommendations or recommendations, it is also possible to inform the operator of actions to be carried out likely to minimize the impact of the source of pollution on the IAQ of the environment. .

In embodiments, during the step of selecting an environment and / or building type, a building type is selected and, during the pollutant selection step to be located, a selection is made. pollutants to locate according to the type of building.

In embodiments during the step of selecting a type of environment and / or building, a type of environment is selected and, during the pollutant selection step to be located, is selected pollutants to locate according to the type of environment. In embodiments, during the step of selecting an environment and / or building type, a type of wall or wall covering is selected and, during the pollutant selection step to locate, the pollutants to be located are selected according to the type of wall or wall coating.

Each of these provisions makes it possible to make the determination and location of each pollutant more efficient.

In embodiments, during the step of determining values of measurement parameters, distant peaks of response curves of at least one sensor for pollutants to be located are selected.

In embodiments, during the step of determining values of measurement parameters, the quantity of each pollutant is measured, and, for each pollutant to be located, it is estimated that measurement errors result from the presence of each other. pollutant and compensates for this error in the measurement of the amount of said pollutant to be located.

In embodiments, during the step of determining values of measurement parameters, the quantity of each pollutant is measured, including each pollutant that is not to be located, and, for each pollutant to be located, estimates the measurement errors resulting from the presence of each other pollutant and compensates for this error in the measurement of the quantity of the pollutant to be located.

Thanks to each of these provisions, the errors of the initial measurement are compensated for constituting the final measure of the quantity of each pollutant.

In embodiments,

In embodiments, the method which is the subject of the invention comprises, downstream of a measurement step, as a function of the quantity of at least one pollutant measured, a step of introducing fresh air into the environment. .

These embodiments make it possible to immediately perform a ventilation action with fresh air intake that can dissipate or reduce the source of pollutant when the pollutant is present in a quantity likely to cause an immediate injury to human health.

In embodiments, the method which is the subject of the invention comprises, upstream of the step of locating the source of a pollutant, a step of response, by a user, to a questionnaire, the data representative of each response. the questionnaire constituting at least a part of the stored data implemented during the location step.

These embodiments make it possible to determine the spatial source of pollution as a function of the answers to the questions answered by an operator carrying out the process. The questions asked correspond to the intellectual journey usually commissioned by an expert to determine the source of pollution in an environment.

In this way, the method which is the subject of the invention makes it possible to postpone the usually obligatory presence of an expert.

In embodiments, the method which is the subject of the invention comprises, upstream of each first measurement step, a step of selecting an environment type, each first measuring step being performed according to the type of environment. selected.

In embodiments, the method which is the subject of the invention comprises:

for the same pollutant, a plurality of successive measuring steps and

a step of interpreting the pollutant quantity measurement results to determine the pollutants to be located during the locating step according to a predetermined limit value.

These embodiments make it possible to discriminate inconsistent results so as not to wrongly identify the presence of pollutants in the environment.

In embodiments, at least one measurement step is performed by a photoacoustic spectroscopy analyzer.

These embodiments make it possible to carry out rapid measurements of the order of a multi-gas measurement of less than fifteen minutes.

In embodiments, the location step is implemented by an expert system.

These embodiments make it possible to replace a human expert with a device performing the same diagnosis.

According to a second aspect, the present invention aims at a device for rapid and in-situ localization of pollutant source for implementing the method which is the subject of the invention, which comprises:

a means for measuring a quantity of at least one pollutant in the air of the environment,

a source location data memory and

means for locating a pollution source as a function of the measured quantity and stored data;

a means for selecting a type of environment and / or a building,

pollutant selection means to locate, depending on the type of environment and / or building and

means for determining values of measurement parameters to be implemented in each first measurement step, depending on the pollutants to be located.

Since the aims, advantages and particular characteristics of the device forming the subject of the invention are similar to those of the method which is the subject of the invention, they are not recalled here. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Other advantages, aims and particular characteristics of the invention will emerge from the following nonlimiting description of at least one particular embodiment of the device and method that are the subject of the present invention, with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 represents, in the form of a logic diagram, a particular sequence of steps of the method which is the subject of the invention,

FIG. 2 represents, schematically, a particular embodiment of the device which is the subject of the invention and

Figures 3 and 4 show pollutant sensor response curves and selected wavelengths for detecting and locating pollutants of interest.

DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLES OF EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

This description is given in a nonlimiting manner, each feature of an embodiment being able to be combined with any other feature of any other embodiment in an advantageous manner.

It is already noted that the figures are not to scale.

The term "quantity of a pollutant" is an absolute or relative measure, in mass or volume for example, of a particular compound.

FIG. 1 shows steps of a particular embodiment of the method 100 which is the subject of the invention.

Upstream of measurement steps, the method 100 comprises a step 105 of selecting a type of measuring environment or a type of building where the measurements will take place. At least one measurement step is performed depending on the type of environment or building selected.

The selection step 105 is performed, for example, by an operator equipped with the communicating terminal. For example, this operator selects from among a list of typical environments displayed on an interface of the terminal, one of the environments corresponding to the nature of the building in which the process 100 is carried out. This list includes, by way of example, building types:

- school,

industrial building and

office ;

and / or types of indoor environment:

type of ventilation / aeration and

- type of coating on walls, floors and ceilings;

and / or types of external environment: highway

gas station,

treated cultures,

industrial site

- trade or craft using chemicals, eg cleaning, hairdressing,

forest and

sea.

Alternatively, step 105 is performed automatically according to the geographical coordinates of the location where the device is located. For example, a geolocation is carried out, according to known techniques, and the type of building is obtained, depending on this location, for example on a geographical institute database (IGN, registered trademark, for France).

During a step 1 10, the device makes a selection of pollutants to locate, depending on the environment and / or the type of building. For example, this selection is made according to the regulations in force. During this selection step, the pollutants to be located and their acceptable limit value are also determined, for example according to the regulations.

During a step 1 15, the device performs the determination of the parameters to be used for each sensor and the values of these parameters, according to the pollutants to be located and other gaseous compounds that may be present in the environment and may interfere with the detection of pollutants to be located, which depend on the type of environment and / or building selected.

FIGS. 3 and 4, which represent response curves which are absorbances as a function of the illumination optical frequency, illustrate step 1 15.

For example, as illustrated in FIG. 3, when an optical excitation of the air of an environment A containing 2 gaseous compounds is carried out, the absorption of this excitation is represented by the response curves 305 and 310 associated with the absorption of the optical signal respectively for each of the compounds. When searching for the pollutant having the response curve 305, the device according to the invention selects the value at the first peak in the frequency range 320 of the response curve 305 since the peak of the response 310 is rather far away and that the response intensity is greater in the frequency range 320 than in the frequency range 330.

On the contrary, as illustrated in FIG. 4, when an optical excitation of the air of an environment B which contains an additional gaseous compound with respect to the environment A is carried out, the absorption of this excitation is represented by the curves response 305, 310 and 325 associated with the absorption of the optical signal respectively for each of the compounds. When searching for the pollutant having the response curve 305, it is no longer possible to select the value in the frequency range 320 of the response curve 305 since the peak of the response 325 interferes. The device according to the invention then selects the frequency range 330 or possibly a third frequency range (not shown) if the response intensity in the frequency range 330 is too small compared to the expected level of detectivity (acceptable limit value specified according to the regulation or standard that applies to the building of interest). This particular aspect of the device according to the invention is specified in the following paragraphs (see the measures A, B, C and D described below).

More generally, in embodiments, all the pollutants, even non-harmful ones, that can interfere with the measurement of each pollutant to be located are measured and the measurements of each pollutant are compensated for locating estimated interference from the other pollutants. pollutants.

For example, starting from FIG. 4, the measurement in the frequency range 330 makes it possible to estimate the quantity of the pollutant corresponding to the response curve 305 and the measurement in the frequency range 320 makes it possible to estimate the total quantity of the pollutants. two pollutants corresponding to the response curves 305 and 325. To estimate the quantity of the pollutant corresponding to the response curve 325, it is subtracted from the quantity measured in the frequency range 320, the interference coming from the quantity of the pollutant corresponding to the response curve 305, which is measured in the frequency range 330.

This eliminates, for measuring the quantity of each pollutant, measurement interferences from the quantity of each other pollutant.

Thus, during step 1 of determining values of measurement parameters, the quantity of each pollutant is measured, preferably including each pollutant that is not to be located. Then, for each pollutant to be located, it is estimated measurement errors from the presence of each other pollutant and compensates for this error in the measurement of the amount of this pollutant to locate.

Thus, the communicating terminal communicates with the measurement means implemented to perform each first measurement step 120 in order to transmit to the measurement means 120 a list of pollutants whose quantities must be measured and of measurement parameter values. Indeed, depending on the type of environment, on the one hand the pollutants that may be present are not necessarily the same, and on the other hand their acceptable limit values are not necessarily the same either. In preferred embodiments, the communicating terminal transmits to the measurement means the list of pollutants to be measured and, for each pollutant, a pollutant measurement parameter value.

In the case of a photoacoustic spectroscopy analyzer, a pollutant measurement parameter is, for example, a range of wavelengths to be implemented. For an optical analyzer, the communicating terminal:

determines, for each pollutant to be measured, a spectral zone of interest A _ZO in which the pollutant is excited, this zone satisfies the following criteria:

the pollutant of interest absorbs the incident light intensity produced by the analyzer,

the analyzer is sensitive enough to detect this absorption at the concentrations expected for the pollutant of interest,

there is little or no interference with the other pollutants and compounds present in the environment under analysis, the analyzer must be able to detect the absorption of the gas, its gases may interfere with the measurement being those which are a priori present and at a priori concentrations such that their absorption at a given wavelength masks that of the gas of interest at this wavelength,

to perform a multi-gas measurement, the analyzer may have to scan several spectral zones, in which case the time taken by the analyzer to switch from one spectral zone to another must be compatible with the maximum duration desired for make a diagnosis,

determines a width of the spectral band excited in the spectral zone of interest large enough to contain one or more absorption peaks of the pollutant, plus the zone contains pollutant absorption peaks without interference with the gases a priori present in the analyzed environment, the measurement of the quantity of pollutant is fair and

determines an acquisition resolution in the spectral band sufficiently fine so that the impact of a pollutant or interfering compound on the envelope of the pollutant's absorption spectrum in the excited spectral bandwidth is observable.

For example, a multi-gas measurement lasting less than 15 minutes in indoor nursery and school environments, the parameterization of the photoacoustic analyzer is as follows:

benzene)

In preferred embodiments, each measurement parameter value is determined according to the nature of each pollutant in the list transmitted by the communicating terminal. Each parameter value is determined to avoid measurement interference.

For example, if in the list of pollutants to be measured there are two pollutants each measurable for a range of values of a given parameter (spectral absorption range in the case of an optical analyzer), these two ranges overlapping at least partially , the communicating terminal determines respectively a parameter value, for each pollutant, out of the common values. Thus, even if a parameter value is optimal for a given pollutant, it may not be implemented because interference is possible for this parameter value.

In the case of a photoacoustic spectroscopy analyzer, for each pollutant, a wavelength value is transmitted by the communicating terminal so that these wavelengths do not cause measurement interference.

For example, if the operator selects the "school" type environment, the communicating terminal identifies a list of pollutants to be measured reduced, for this example, two pollutants "A" and "B". Pollutant A is measurable over a range of length values wavelength between two terminals _n f and As _U and pollutant B is measurable over a range of wavelength values between two terminals Bmf and B _su with the following inequality:

The pollutant A has an optimum measurement value A _ma x between B, _n f and As _Up while the optimal measurement value of B, B _ma x, is greater than A _sup .

The communicating terminal transmits to the photo-acoustic analyzer the value B _ma x, which is not susceptible to measurement interference with A, and A _op t, the optimized measurement value of A smaller than B, where _n f is thus not susceptible to interference.

Conversely, in the environment type "office", the list of pollutants, "A" and "C", measuring presents no wavelength overlapping values in implementing and communicating terminal simply transmits To _my x and C _ma x.

Preferably, in addition to the interference between pollutants to be measured, the communicating terminal determines the value of each measurement parameter as a function of compounds, unmeasured, likely to be present in the type of selected location and to interfere with the measurement of the pollutants. interest.

In the example of the school above, this arrangement results in the addition of a compound, not measured, "D" excited over a range of values Dmf to D _sup with the following inequality:

Dinf Ainf Dsup Binf Asup <Bsup

In this example the communicating terminal transmits to the analyzer, for B, the value

B _ma x and for A the value A _op t corresponding to the optimum measurement value of the pollutant A between D _sup and Binf.

This method 100 for locating sources of pollution in an indoor environment comprises:

a first step 120 of measuring a quantity of at least one pollutant in the air of the environment and

for each quantity of a pollutant measured beyond a predetermined limit value, a step 140 of locating the source of said pollutant comprising:

a step 145 of moving a sampling point in the environment, followed by a second pollutant measuring step 150 and / or a step 160 of determining a source of pollution as a function of the measured quantity and of data stored.

During the first measurement step 120, an operator implements, for example, a real-time or quasi-real-time sampling and analysis device (analysis in minutes or even tens of minutes) and in-situ of a sample. of air from the environment. This device implements or not a means of suction of air to a sampling head. This sampling and analysis device comprises one or more sensors specific to one or more predetermined pollutants, each sensor being implemented to determine a quantity of each said pollutant associated with said sensor.

Pollutant means, for example:

carbon dioxide,

formaldehyde,

acetaldehyde,

toluene, ethylbenzene and o, p, m-xylenes and

benzene.

Additionally, the relative humidity can be considered a pollutant with respect to the IAQ of the environment.

The sensors can be implemented sequentially or simultaneously.

Preferably, the sampling and analysis device is a photoacoustic spectroscopy analyzer.

It is recalled that photoacoustic spectroscopy is a technique used for the detection of trace gases. It is based on the photo-acoustic effect, conversion of light into sound signal in all materials, solids, liquids and gases. The laser beam excites the molecules in the analysis cell that vibrate. These vibrations cause a rise in temperature and therefore an increase in pressure in the cell. Because the excitation of the molecules occurs intermittently, the temperature and therefore the pressure fluctuate over time. It is the sound pressure variations that are detected by a microphone.

The analyzer implemented is, for example, the analyzer described in WO 2014/122135 and EP 2503387 incorporated herein by reference. This analyzer is able to measure and discriminate more than one hundred gaseous compounds. The main features making this analyzer differentiating are:

the fast, almost real-time nature of the measurements,

the in-situ nature of the measurements,

the rapid realization of source search, that is to say when a single measurement wavelength is not implemented, of the order of three seconds per search, the rapid realization of measurement of quantities of several pollutants simultaneously, less than 15 minutes for a multi-gas measurement of five gases and

the measurement thresholds of the order of a few parts per billion.

This analyzer is able to measure, for example, the following pollutants in the following nonlimiting ranges of interest:

carbon dioxide, between 400 and 4500 parts per million, formaldehyde, between 9 and 200 micrograms per cubic meter,

acetaldehyde, between 140 and 2000 micrograms per cubic meter,

toluene, ethylbenzene and o, p, m-xylenes, between 25 and 20000 micrograms per cubic meter,

benzene, between 250 and 3500 micrograms per cubic meter, and

the relative humidity between 10 and 90%.

Thus, during the measurement step 120, the presence of one or more pollutants in the air of the environment is measured. If none of the measured pollutants is present in a quantity greater than a predetermined limit value, referred to as the "intermediate threshold" in the table below, representative of a risk to human health, the environment has a satisfactory IAQ and no further analysis is required.

The table below corresponds to the limit values in France.

Conversely, for each pollutant whose quantity exceeds the predetermined limit value, a locating step 140 takes place.

The term "stored data" is used to store data recorded locally, in a portable terminal for example, or remotely, in a server for example. This data may be predetermined or iteratively learned each time implementation of the method 100 by a device allowing this implementation, each communicating device to enrich a common learning base accessible for each device. This stored data includes, for example: at least one response grid to a predetermined questionnaire, each response grid corresponding to a source location or a predetermined displacement recommendation and / or

at least one source location or a displacement recommendation learned according to at least one response grid, at least one measured quantity of pollutant, a displacement recommendation as a result and a determination previously made to following a displacement step 145 subsequent to the displacement recommendation.

The locating step 140 is implemented by a computer program implemented on a communicating portable terminal, for example. A "communicating portable terminal" is any device comprising a human-machine interface and a communication means, such as an antenna or a data transmission cable, with a measurement device implemented during the measurement step 120. . For communicating portable terminal means for example a digital tablet, a computer or a personal computer. Preferably, the location step 140 is implemented by an expert system deployed on a communicating terminal.

During this locating step 140, depending on the stored data, the pollution source of a pollutant can be directly determined and the determination step 160 is implemented, or several sources are possible and additional operations. are then necessary to discriminate the invalid sources.

In order to achieve this discrimination of sources, and according to the amount of pollutant measured and the data recorded, a recommendation to move a sampling point is issued.

This recommendation may, for example, consist of:

- to approach the point of sampling of the ceiling,

approach the sampling point to a piece of furniture or

approach the sampling point to a wall.

The operator carrying out the process 100 manually or automatically moves the sampling point to a location indicated in the recommendation, during the displacement step 145.

The second measuring step 150 is carried out by the same measuring device implemented during the first measuring step 120. Preferably, when an optical analyzer is used, the excitation wavelength, for each pollutant, is fixed to reduce the measurement acquisition time to only a few seconds. During this second measurement step 150, the device searches exclusively for each pollutant whose quantity measured during the first measuring step 120 exceeds the predetermined limit value.

If the quantity measured during the second measuring step 150 is greater than a second predetermined limit value, higher than the predetermined limit value implemented for the locating step 140, a source corresponding to the location of the second measuring step 150, is determined during the determination step 160.

If the quantity measured during the second measuring step is less than the predetermined limit value implemented for the locating step 140, a source corresponding to the zone of the environment for producing the second measuring step 150 is discriminated and a new displacement recommendation is issued so that a new second measurement step 150 is performed in a new zone.

In preferred embodiments, such as that represented in FIG. 1, the method 100 comprises, downstream of a step, 120 and / or 150, of measurement, as a function of the quantity of at least one pollutant measured a step 135 introducing fresh air into the environment.

In these embodiments, the displacement step 145 may be inhibited, i.e. the sampling point is moved, or left stationary, instead of performing the first measuring step 120.

This fresh air supply step 135 is preferably carried out when a measured quantity of a pollutant is greater than a predetermined limit value, called "max value" in the table above, representative of an immediate risk for the human health (for a short exposure of a few tens of minutes).

The fresh air supply step 135 is carried out, for example, by the implementation of a ventilation means, such as a fan for example, or by the opening of an opening of the environment, such as a door or a window for example.

In preferred embodiments, such as that represented in FIG. 1, the method 100 comprises, upstream of the step 140 of locating the source of a pollutant, a step 125 of response, by a user, to a questionnaire , the representative data of each questionnaire response constituting at least a part of the stored data implemented during the location step.

The objective of the questionnaire is to contextualize the quantity of each pollutant measured in order to locate a probable source of emission of each pollutant. For example, the questionnaire questions relate to data:

- environment external to the environment analyzed,

absorbing and re-emitting pollutant surfaces, environmental ventilation,

novelty of elements in the environment and / or

pollutant activity that took place in the environment.

This response step 125 is performed, for example, by the implementation of a human-machine interface, such as:

a touch screen allowing to make a declarative entry or the selection of representative items of choice of a multiple choice questionnaire or

a keyboard, and / or a mouse, associated with a screen.

For example, the measured pollutant concentrations:

And two different answers to an identical questionnaire:

Questionnaire Case N ° 1 Case N ° 2

Ventilation

Presence of Openings (windows) y y

Controlled Mechanical Ventilation in operation y

New or renovated elements for less than 6 months

Ceiling

Wall

Ground

Window

furniture

Absorbent surface and re-emitting pollutants Ceiling: Porous materials

Wall: Carpet

Ground: Carpets

Floor: Carpet

Opening: Curtains

In the first case, the completion of a second formaldehyde measurement step at the ceiling of the environment will be recommended.

In the second case, the realization of a second step of measurement of formaldehyde at the level of the carpet of the environment will be recommended.

Thus, despite two identical measurements, the location of the pollutant source varies according to the particularities of the environment analyzed.

In preferred embodiments, such as that shown in FIG. 1, the method 100 comprises:

for the same pollutant, a plurality of steps, 120 and / or 150, of successive measurement and

an interpretation step 130 and / or 155 of the quantity measurement results for determining the pollutants to be located during the locating step as a function of a predetermined limit value.

Each interpretation stage, 130 and / or 155, is performed directly by the communicating terminal. During this interpretation stage, 130 or 155, the communicating terminal: calculates the average of the quantities measured for each pollutant and

determines the validity of the results obtained for each pollutant by at least one of the following indicators:

The first indicator highlights a problem of implementation during the analysis: when the diagnosis is made in an unstable environment, for example when the sampling point is located in an area of drafts, this induces a variation rapid concentrations measured at this point. This indicator is based on the standard deviation of the measured concentrations: If the standard deviation of the measured concentrations is greater than twice the standard deviation of the average concentrations determined during calibration for concentrations above the limit of quantification of the analyzer, then the average of the quantities of the calculated pollutant is not representative. The remote expertise therefore advises the operator to perform, again, a series of measurement steps, 120 and / or 150, in a stable environment. To avoid drafts, the operator can for example close the openings of the room or move the sampling point. The second indicator highlights a problem with the analyzer. This indicator is based on the hygrometry measured by the analyzer, in the case where the measurements are performed by an optical analyzer. If this rate is aberrant, for example less than 1% or greater than 99.9%, then the remote expertise indicates to the operator that the results of the diagnosis are not valid because of a problem related to the analyzer .

The third indicator shows the presence of interferents: that is, the presence of other pollutants or compounds that absorb in the same spectral zone of interest as that of the gases included in the diagnosis and which mask the measurement. . The concentration measured for the gas of interest is in this case overestimated with respect to reality. This third indicator is based on the difference between the theoretical spectral response of the analyzer for the pollutant of interest and the response measured during the measurement. The larger the difference, the greater the impact of interferences on the measurement and therefore the more the average of the quantities is overestimated. If this difference is greater than the difference between the theoretical spectral response of the analyzer for the pollutant of interest and the theoretical response including the intrinsic measurement noise of the analyzer, adjusted by a coefficient, the remote survey alert the operator on the presence of interferents and thus overestimation the calculated average.

This third indicator is applicable in the case where:

optical analyzers making it possible to have access to the profile of the spectral response of the analyzer, such as, for example, a peak of Gaussian, Lorentzian or other form, or other types of analyzers offering the possibility of have access to a response profile that differs in the presence of interferents, such as, for example, the peak shape on a chromatogram.

Preferably, the method 100 includes a step of displaying (not shown) recommendations for processing a localized source during the location step 140. This display step is implemented, for example, by a terminal screen. communicating. In variants, commercial offers aimed at reducing the impact of one or more pollutants are also displayed.

As understood by reading the present description, the method 100 implemented is preferably the following:

the air of the environment is analyzed for a few minutes so as to measure a quantity of at least one pollutant of interest,

during this time, the operator responds, on a communicating terminal, to a questionnaire whose questions are related to the analyzed environment,

once the air has been analyzed, the measured quantities are displayed on the communicating terminal of the operator and an overall indication of IAQ is provided, depending on the results, the operator is led to follow certain instructions provided by the remote expertise, such as over-ventilation until resolution of the IAQ problem in case of danger or search for a source of pollution in case of poor IAQ, in this second case, the search for pollution source is carried out as follows, from the multi-pollutant measurement results, questionnaire responses and statistical data from the database:

in the case where the expertise deported in the communicating terminal assumes that the pollutant is still present in the room, a displacement recommendation is issued so that the operator must make a targeted measurement of a particular pollutant at a particular location, such as for example, looking for a source of formaldehyde at the ceiling level:

if the operator observes an increase in the concentration of formaldehyde when approaching the measuring device of this particular location, the operator confirms, on an interface of the communicating terminal, the hypothesis proposed by the communicating terminal; if the operator does not notice an increase in the concentration, he invalidates the hypothesis and the communicating terminal issues a new displacement recommendation or suggests the search for a source for another pollutant,

this loop is repeated until the operator identifies the source of pollution or, if the operator fails to identify the source of pollution, until the deported expertise advises to carry out additional measures in other areas of the environment,

in the case where the remote expertise assumes that the pollutant is no longer present in the room, this expertise determines the sources from the questionnaire and statistical information from the database and - once the IAQ problem is located, the deported expertise is able to propose remedial solutions.

FIG. 2 diagrammatically shows an embodiment of the device 200 which is the subject of the invention. This pollutant source localization device 200 for implementing the method for locating sources of pollution in an indoor environment as described with reference to FIG. 1, comprises:

means 205 for measuring a quantity of at least one pollutant in the stable air of a closed environment,

a memory 210 of source location data and means 215 for locating a source of pollution as a function of the measured quantity and of the stored data.

The measuring means 205 is, for example, a photoacoustic spectroscopy analyzer as described with reference to the figure.

The memory 210 is, for example, a remote memory, such as a memory of a server for example, accessible by a communicating terminal.

The locating means 215 is, for example, the communicating terminal, this locating means 215 being configured to implement the locating step 140 described above.

Claims

1. A method (100) for rapid and in-situ localization of pollution sources in an indoor environment, comprising:

a first step (120) of measuring a quantity of at least one pollutant in the air of the environment and

for each quantity of a pollutant measured above a predetermined limit value, a step (140) for locating the source of said pollutant comprising:

a step (145) of moving a sampling point in the environment, followed by a second pollutant measuring step (150) and / or a pollution source determining step (160). measured quantity and stored data

characterized in that it further comprises, upstream of each first measurement step (120):

a step (105) for selecting an environment and / or building type,

a step (1 10) for selecting pollutants to be located, depending on the type of environment and / or building and

a step (1 15) for determining values of measurement parameters to be implemented in each first measurement step, as a function of the pollutants to be located.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein, during the step (105) for selecting a type of environment and / or building, a building type is selected and, during the step ( 1 10) selection of pollutants to locate, we select the pollutants to locate depending on the type of building.

3. Method according to one of claims 1 or 2, wherein, during the step (105) for selecting a type of environment and / or building, a type of environment is selected and, at During the step (1 10) for selecting pollutants to be located, the pollutants to be located are selected according to the type of environment.

4. Method according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, during the step of selecting a type of environment and / or building, is selected a type of wall or wall covering and, during the pollutant selection step (1 10), the pollutants to be located are selected according to the type of wall or wall coating.

5. Method (100) according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein, during the step (1 15) for determining values of measurement parameters, peaks distant from response curves of less a sensor for pollutants to locate.

6. Process (100) according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein, during the step (1 15) for determining values of measurement parameters, the quantity of each pollutant is measured, and for each pollutant to locate, it is estimated measurement errors from the presence of each other pollutant and compensates for this error in the measurement of the amount of said pollutant to be located.

7. Process (100) according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein, during step (1 15) for determining values of measurement parameters, the amount of each pollutant is measured, including each pollutant. which is not to locate, and for each pollutant to be located, it is estimated measurement errors from the presence of each other pollutant and compensates for this error in the measurement of the amount of said pollutant to locate.

8. Method (100) according to one of claims 1 to 7, which comprises, downstream of a measurement step (120, 150), depending on the amount of at least one pollutant measured a step (135) supply of fresh air into the environment.

9. Method (100) according to one of claims 1 to 8, which comprises, upstream of the step (140) for locating the source of a pollutant, a step (125) response, by a user, to a questionnaire, the representative data of each questionnaire response constituting at least a part of the stored data implemented during the location step.

The method (100) according to one of claims 1 to 9, which comprises:

for the same pollutant, a plurality of successive measurement steps (120, 150) and an interpretation step (155, 105) of the pollutant quantity measurement results to automatically determine the pollutants to be located during the step location according to a predetermined limit value.

1 1. Method (100) according to one of claims 1 to 10, wherein at least one measuring step (120, 150) is performed by a photoacoustic spectroscopy analyzer.

12. Method (100) according to one of claims 1 to 1 1, wherein the step (140) of location is implemented by an expert system.

13. Device (200) for rapid and in-situ location of pollutant source for implementing the method for locating pollution sources in an indoor environment according to one of claims 1 to 12, which comprises:

means (205) for measuring a quantity of at least one pollutant in the air of the environment,

a source location data memory (210) and

means (215) for locating a source of pollution as a function of the measured quantity and of the stored data;

characterized in that it further comprises:

means for selecting a type of environment and / or building,

The device (200) according to claim 13, wherein the means for determining values of measurement parameters is configured to measure the amount of each pollutant and, for each pollutant to be located, to estimate measurement errors from the presence of each other pollutant and to compensate for this error in the measurement of the quantity of the pollutant to be located.

15. Device (200) according to one of claims 13 or 14, wherein the means (205) for measuring is a photoacoustic spectroscopy analyzer.