Developments in the Built Environment (Dec 2023)
Numerical study on the cutting off performance of a novel personalized air curtain in a general consulting ward
Abstract
To mitigate the risk of airborne transmission during close patient-doctor interactions in general consulting ward, a novel personalized air curtain (PAC) system is proposed to safeguard doctors against aerosol droplets. The efficacy of PAC in cutting off the patient expiratory airflow and intercepting airborne droplets was investigated through numerical simulations that examined the impact of air supply velocity and angle. Simulation results indicate that the average concentration of exhaled pollutants in the consultation room is significantly reduced by 55%–80%. A supply velocity of 1 m/s and a supply angle of 0° result in optimal pollutant concentration. Additionally, it was observed that an increase in supply air velocity during discrete phase model (DPM) simulation corresponded with an increased suspension and deposition rate which can cause to doctor infection. This study can provide effective guidance for the design and optimization of PAC in general consulting ward to reduce exposure risk and short-range infection.
