Parameters (PARAMS) Program Version 1.1 for indoor emission source modeling

On this page:

• What is PARAMS?
• What are the Benefits of Using PARAMS?
• Who Should Use PARAMS?
• How Does the Program Work?
• How Can I Get the Program?
• PARAMS User's Guide
• Technical Contact

What is PARAMS?

Parameters (PARAMS) 1.1 is a Microsoft Windows-based computer program that can be used to implement 30 methods for estimating the parameters in indoor emissions source models. These methods fall into seven categories:

1. Properties of indoor air
2. First-order decay rate constants for solvent emissions from indoor coating materials
3. Gas-phase, liquid-phase, and overall mass transfer coefficients
4. Molar volume
5. Molecular diffusivity in air, liquid, and solid materials
6. Solid-air partition coefficient
7. Vapor pressure and volatility for pure organic compounds and petroleum-based solvents and the properties of water

What are the Benefits of Using PARAMS?

Users can benefit from this program in two ways: first, it puts commonly used parameter estimation methods in one place; second, it saves users time by taking over tedious calculations.

Who Should Use PARAMS?

Potential users include those who develop or use indoor air quality and exposure models, and those who develop or use quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) models. In addition, many calculations are useful to researchers in areas other than indoor air quality.

How Does the Program Work?

This program was developed based on the developer’s review of existing parameter estimation methods for indoor emission source models. It is intended to supplement, not to substitute for, experimentally determined model parameters. This program has a fairly simple user interface. After the user launches the program, all the methods are organized in a tree list. The user can select a parameter estimation method by clicking on one of the items in the tree list to start.

How Can I Get the Program?

Download  PARAMS Version 1.1 (zip) (4.27 MB)

To install the program, run PARAMS_Setup.exe. The current version (1.1) is compatible with Windows XP, 7, and 8.

PARAMS User's Guide

Although over 50 indoor emission source models have been developed (Guo, 2002a), few are widely used in indoor exposure assessment. This imbalance is partially caused by the fact that many source models contain one or more parameters that are difficult to determine. This program is a step toward alleviating this problem by providing 30 methods for estimating some of the parameters in those source models. It is useful to those who develop or use indoor air quality (IAQ) and exposure models, and those who develop or use quantitative structure activity relationship (QSAR) models. In addition, many methods in this program are useful to researchers in areas other than indoor air quality. Users can benefit from this program in two ways: (1) it serves as a handy tool by putting commonly used methods in one place, and (2) it saves users’ time by taking over tedious calculations.

This  user's guide provides information on the PARAMS program, which was developed based on the developer’s review of existing parameter estimation methods for indoor emission source models (Guo, 2002b). Users are encouraged to consult with the original references, which are listed in the guide. 

U.S. EPA. Program PARAMS User's Guide, Version 1.0, EPA/600/R-05/066 (43 pp,  1.74 MB, March 2005)

Technical Contact

Xiaoyu Liu (liu.xiaoyu@epa.gov)