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Selecting the Safe Area and Finding Proper Ventilation in the Spread of the COVID-19 Virus

Shahram Karami, Esmail Lakzian (), Sima Shabani, Sławomir Dykas (), Fahime Salmani, Bok Jik Lee, Majid Ebrahimi Warkiani, Heuy Dong Kim and Goodarz Ahmadi
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Shahram Karami: Center of Computational Energy, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Hakim Sabzevari University, Sabzevar 9617976487, Iran
Esmail Lakzian: Center of Computational Energy, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Hakim Sabzevari University, Sabzevar 9617976487, Iran
Sima Shabani: Department of Power Engineering and Turbomachinery, Silesian University of Technology, 44-100 Gliwice, Poland
Sławomir Dykas: Department of Power Engineering and Turbomachinery, Silesian University of Technology, 44-100 Gliwice, Poland
Fahime Salmani: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Andong National University, Andong 36729, Republic of Korea
Bok Jik Lee: Institute of Advanced Aerospace Technology, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
Majid Ebrahimi Warkiani: School of Biomedical Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
Heuy Dong Kim: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Andong National University, Andong 36729, Republic of Korea
Goodarz Ahmadi: Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Clarkson University, Potsdam, NY 13699-5725, USA

Energies, 2023, vol. 16, issue 4, 1-18

Abstract: Coughing and sneezing are the main ways of spreading coronavirus-2019 (SARS-CoV-2). People sometimes need to work together at close distances. This study presents the results of the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation of the dispersion and transport of respiratory droplets emitted by an infected person who coughs in an indoor space with an air ventilation system. The resulting information is expected to help in risk assessment and development of mitigation measures to prevent the infection spread. The turbulent flow of air in the indoor space is simulated using the k-ε model. The particle equation of motion included the drag, the Saffman lift, the Brownian force and gravity/buoyancy forces. The innovation of this study includes A: Using the Eulerian–Lagrangian CFD model for the simulation of the cough droplet dispersion. B: Assessing the infection risk by the Wells–Riley equation. C: A safer design for the ventilation system (changing the ventilation supplies and exhausts in the indoor space and choosing the right location for air ventilation). The droplet distribution in the indoor space is strongly influenced by the air ventilation layout. The air-curtain flow pattern significantly reduces the dispersion and spreading of virus-infected cough droplets. When the ventilation air flow occurs along the room length, it takes about 115 s for the cough droplets to leave the space. However, when the ventilation air flow is across the width of the indoor space and there are air curtain-type air flow patterns in the room, it takes about 75 s for the cough droplets to leave the space.

Keywords: COVID-19; risk infection; building; ventilation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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