Fates of Emitted Particles Depending on Mask Wearing Using an Approach Validated Across Spatial Scales

Abstract

Abstract The spread of emitted potentially virus‐laden aerosol particles is known to be highly dependent on whether a mask is worn by an infected person and on the emission scenario, i.e., whether the person is coughing, speaking, or breathing. The aim of this work is to investigate in detail the fates of particles emitted by a person wearing a perfectly fitting, a naturally fitted mask with leakage, and no mask depending on the emission scenario. Therefore, a two‐scale numerical workflow is proposed where parameters are carried through from a micro‐scale where the fibers of the mask filter medium and the aerosol particles are resolved to a macro‐scale and validated by comparison to experimental measurements of fractional filtration efficiency and pressure drop of the filter medium as well as pressure drop of the mask. It turns out that masks reduce the number of both emitted and inhaled particles significantly even with leakage. While without a mask, the person opposite of an infected person is generally at the highest risk of being infected, a mask worn by an infected person speaking or coughing will deflect the flow leading to the fact that the person behind the infected person might inhale the largest number of aerosol particles.

Keywords

• CFD simulation
• face masks
• particle fates
• multi‐scale modeling
• aerosol particle transport