Need
The State Railway Company, called EFE Trenes de Chile, needed to carry out continuous gas and particle monitoring to know the air quality in the Valparaiso metro stations.
The Valparaíso metro currently has 2 main uses:
- Passenger transport during the day with an electrified system.
- Transportation of materials during the night with a diesel engine.
The objective of the study is to improve the ventilation system installed on the metro lines by continuous gas and particle monitoring in order to improve air quality and comply with Chilean law 594 to protect the health of both workers and users of the metro.
Solution
This study of the air quality was carried out on the basis of 3 lines of work:
- Fluid dynamic simulation and modelling of the ventilation systems of metro stations.
- Measurement of pollution exposure of metro staff (occupational hygiene) using certified personal exposure devices.
- Gas and particle monitoring both in the environment and in the stations themselves.
For this purpose, 4 Kunak AIR Pro stations were deployed for continuous monitoring of gases (CO, CO2 and NO2) and particles (PM1, PM2.5, PM4, PM10, Total Suspended Particles (TSP) and Total Particle Count (TPC) both outside and inside the metro stations.
Results
- Creation of a healthier environment by monitoring gases and particulates for a safer atmosphere.
- Optimisation of the ventilation system by adjusting airflow based on real-time data to improve air quality.
- Improvement of preventive maintenance by identifying system problems in advance.
- Compliance with air quality standards to ensure public safety.
- Generation of greater confidence and enhancement of the company’s image by demonstrating its commitment to passenger welfare.
