A comparative study of two tracer gases: SF6 and N2O

This study compares the characteristics of two tracer gases - sulphur hexaf luoride (SF6), and nitrous oxide (N2O) - whose densities are different from that of air (i.e. 5.11 and 1.53, respectively). The study is based on excl usively experimental work; and concerns the behaviour of the two gases with regard to their distribution and dispersion in an experimental cell, incor porating into the comparison method an index that is intended to characteri se the ventilation of an enclosed space, namely Ventilation effectiveness, epsilon (C). (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.