Airborne transmission of virus-laden aerosols inside a music classroom: Effects of portable purifiers and aerosol injection rates

A CFD study on the effect of portable air cleaner placement on airborne infection control in a classroom

The utilization of portable air cleaners (PACs) is a recommended supplemental approach to help remove airborne pathogens and mitigate disease transmission in learning environments. To improve PAC effectiveness, science-based information is needed to optimize their implementation strategies such as the deployment location, height, and number of PACs. In this study, we developed a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model to assess how PACs perform in occupied classrooms equipped with displacement and mixing ventilation systems. The results show that PACs with a flow rate of 2.6 h-1 reduce the mean aerosol intake of all students by up to 66%. A key benefit of using PACs is to facilitate air mixing and movement in indoor environments with inadequate ventilation, thereby effectively reducing high aerosol concentrations near the infector. Furthermore, our results highlight the impact of PAC location on its performance. PACs achieve the best effectiveness when placed closed to the infector (within a distance <3 m). In the absence of knowing who is infected, deploying a PAC at the center of the room is recommended. Moreover, adjusting PAC flow discharge height to the breathing height of occupants (e.g., 0.9-1.2 m for seated people) can enhance their effectiveness in spaces with poor air mixing.

Viral infection transmission and indoor air quality: A systematic review

Respiratory disease transmission in indoor environments presents persistent challenges for health authorities, as exemplified by the recent COVID-19 pandemic. This underscores the urgent necessity to investigate the dynamics of viral infection transmission within indoor environments. This systematic review delves into the methodologies of respiratory infection transmission in indoor settings and explores how the quality of indoor air (IAQ) can be controlled to alleviate this risk while considering the imperative of sustainability. Among the 2722 articles reviewed, 178 were retained based on their focus on respiratory viral infection transmission and IAQ. Fifty eight articles delved into SARS-CoV-2 transmission, 21 papers evaluated IAQ in contexts of other pandemics, 53 papers assessed IAQ during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, and 46 papers examined control strategies to mitigate infectious transmission. Furthermore, of the 46 papers investigating control strategies, only nine considered energy consumption. These findings highlight clear gaps in current research, such as analyzing indoor air and surface samples for specific indoor environments, oversight of indoor and outdoor parameters (e.g., temperature, relative humidity (RH), and building orientation), neglect of occupancy schedules, and the absence of considerations for energy consumption while enhancing IAQ. This study distinctly identifies the indoor environmental conditions conducive to the thriving of each respiratory virus, offering IAQ trade-offs to mitigate the risk of dominant viruses at any given time. This study argues that future research should involve digital twins in conjunction with machine learning (ML) techniques. This approach aims to enhance IAQ by analyzing the transmission patterns of various respiratory viruses while considering energy consumption.

Risk assessment of airborne virus transmission in an intensive care unit due to single and sequential coughing

The virus causing COVID-19 has constantly been mutating into new variants. Some of them are more transmissive and resistant to antibiotics. The current research article aims to examine the airborne transmission of the virus expelled by coughing action in a typical intensive care unit. Both single and sequential coughing actions have been considered to get closer to practical scenarios. The objective is to assess the effectiveness of air change per hour (ACH) on the risk of infection to a healthcare person and how the air change rate influences the dispersion of droplets. Such a study is seldom reported and has significant relevance. A total of four cases were analyzed, of which two were of sequential cough. When the ACH is changed from 6 to 12, the average particle residence time is reduced by ∼7 s. It is found that the risk of infection in the case of sequential cough will be relatively low compared to a single cough if the outlet of the indoor environment is placed above the patient's head. This arrangement also eliminates the requirement of higher ACH, which has significance from an energy conservation perspective.

Inactivation characteristics of a 280 nm Deep-UV irradiation dose on aerosolized SARS-CoV-2

A non-filter virus inactivation unit was developed that can control the irradiation dose of aerosolized viruses by controlling the lighting pattern of a 280 nm deep-UV (DUV)-LED and the air flowrate. In this study, the inactivation properties of aerosolized SARS-CoV-2 were quantitatively evaluated by controlling the irradiation dose to the virus inside the inactivation unit. The RNA concentration of SARS-CoV-2 remained constant when the total irradiation dose of DUV irradiation to the virus exceeded 16.5 mJ/cm2. This observation suggests that RNA damage may occur in regions below the detection threshold of RT-qPCR assay. However, when the total irradiation dose was less than 16.5 mJ/cm2, the RNA concentration monotonically increased with a decreasing LED irradiation dose. However, the nucleocapsid protein concentration of SARS-CoV-2 was not predominantly dependent on the LED irradiation dose. The plaque assay showed that 99.16% of the virus was inactivated at 8.1 mJ/cm2 of irradiation, and no virus was detected at 12.2 mJ/cm2 of irradiation, resulting in a 99.89% virus inactivation rate. Thus, an irradiation dose of 23% of the maximal irradiation capacity of the virus inactivation unit can activate more than 99% of SARS-CoV-2. These findings are expected to enhance versatility in various applications. The downsizing achieved in our study renders the technology apt for installation in narrow spaces, while the enhanced flowrates establish its viability for implementation in larger facilities.

Numerical investigation of airborne infection risk in an elevator cabin under different ventilation designs

Airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2 via virus-laden aerosols in enclosed spaces poses a significant concern. Elevators, commonly utilized enclosed spaces in modern tall buildings, present a challenge as the impact of varying heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems on virus transmission within these cabins remains unclear. In this study, we employ computational modeling to examine aerosol transmission within an elevator cabin outfitted with diverse HVAC systems. Using a transport equation, we model aerosol concentration and assess infection risk distribution across passengers' breathing zones. We calculate the particle removal efficiency for each HVAC design and introduce a suppression effect criterion to evaluate the effectiveness of the HVAC systems. Our findings reveal that mixing ventilation, featuring both inlet and outlet at the ceiling, proves most efficient in reducing particle spread, achieving a maximum removal efficiency of 79.40% during the exposure time. Conversely, the stratum ventilation model attains a mere removal efficiency of 3.97%. These results underscore the importance of careful HVAC system selection in mitigating the risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission within elevator cabins.

A review on indoor airborne transmission of COVID-19– modelling and mitigation approaches

In the past few years, significant efforts have been made to investigate the transmission of COVID-19. This paper provides a review of the COVID-19 airborne transmission modeling and mitigation strategies. The simulation models here are classified into airborne transmission infectious risk models and numerical approaches for spatiotemporal airborne transmissions. Mathematical descriptions and assumptions on which these models have been based are discussed. Input data used in previous simulation studies to assess the dispersion of COVID-19 are extracted and reported. Moreover, measurements performed to study the COVID-19 airborne transmission within indoor environments are introduced to support validations for anticipated future modeling studies. Transmission mitigation strategies recommended in recent studies have been classified to include modifying occupancy and ventilation operations, using filters and air purifiers, installing ultraviolet (UV) air disinfection systems, and personal protection compliance, such as wearing masks and social distancing. The application of mitigation strategies to various building types, such as educational, office, public, residential, and hospital, is reviewed. Recommendations for future works are also discussed based on the current apparent knowledge gaps covering both modeling and mitigation approaches. Our findings show that different transmission mitigation measures were recommended for various indoor environments; however, there is no conclusive work reporting their combined effects on the level of mitigation that may be achieved. Moreover, further studies should be conducted to understand better the balance between approaches to mitigating the viral transmissions in buildings and building energy consumption.

A computational framework for transmission risk assessment of aerosolized particles in classrooms

Infectious airborne diseases like the recent COVID-19 pandemic render confined spaces high-risk areas. However, in-person activities like teaching in classroom settings and government services are often expected to continue or restart quickly. It becomes important to evaluate the risk of airborne disease transmission while accounting for the physical presence of humans, furniture, and electronic equipment, as well as ventilation. Here, we present a computational framework and study based on detailed flow physics simulations that allow straightforward evaluation of various seating and operating scenarios to identify risk factors and assess the effectiveness of various mitigation strategies. These scenarios include seating arrangement changes, presence/absence of computer screens, ventilation rate changes, and presence/absence of mask-wearing. This approach democratizes risk assessment by automating a key bottleneck in simulation-based analysis-creating an adequately refined mesh around multiple complex geometries. Not surprisingly, we find that wearing masks (with at least 74% inward protection efficiency) significantly reduced transmission risk against unmasked and infected individuals. While the use of face masks is known to reduce the risk of transmission, we perform a systematic computational study of the transmission risk due to variations in room occupancy, seating layout and air change rates. In addition, our findings on the efficacy of face masks further support use of face masks. The availability of such an analysis approach will allow education administrators, government officials (courthouses, police stations), and hospital administrators to make informed decisions on seating arrangements and operating procedures.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00366-022-01773-9.

Development of a high-speed bioaerosol elimination system for treatment of indoor air

We developed a high-speed filterless airflow multistage photocatalytic elbow aerosol removal system for the treatment of bioaerosols such as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Human-generated bioaerosols that diffuse into indoor spaces are 1-10 μm in size, and their selective and rapid treatment can reduce the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection. A high-speed airflow is necessary to treat large volumes of indoor air over a short period. The proposed system can be used to eliminate viruses in aerosols by forcibly depositing aerosols in a high-speed airflow onto a photocatalyst placed inside the system through inertial force and turbulent diffusion. Because the main component of the deposited bioaerosol is water, it evaporates after colliding with the photocatalyst, and the nonvolatile virus remains on the photocatalytic channel wall. The residual virus on the photocatalytic channel wall is mineralized via photocatalytic oxidation with UVA-LED irradiation in the channel. When this system was operated in a 4.5 m³ aerosol chamber, over 99.8% aerosols in the size range of 1-10 μm were removed within 15 min. The system continued delivering such performance with the continuous introduction of aerosols. Because this system exhibits excellent aerosol removal ability at a flow velocity of 5 m/s or higher, it is more suitable than other reactive air purification systems for treating large-volume spaces.

Reducing Virus Transmission from Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning Systems of Urban Subways

Aerosols carrying the virus inside enclosed spaces is an important mode of transmission for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), as supported by growing evidence. Urban subways are one of the most frequented enclosed spaces. The subway is a utilitarian and low-cost transit system in modern society. However, studies are yet to demonstrate patterns of viral transmission in subway heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. To fill this gap, we performed a computational investigation of the airflow (and associated aerosol transmission) in an urban subway cabin equipped with an HVAC system. We employed a transport equation for aerosol concentration, which was added to the basic buoyant solver to resolve the aerosol transmission inside the subway cabin. This was achieved by considering the thermal, turbulent, and induced ventilation flow effects. Using the probability of encountering aerosols on sampling surfaces crossing the passenger breathing zones, we detected the highest infection risk zones inside the urban subway under different settings. We proposed a novel HVAC system that can impede aerosol spread, both vertically and horizontally, inside the cabin. In the conventional model, the maximum probability of encountering aerosols from the breathing of infected individuals near the fresh-air ducts was equal to 51.2%. This decreased to 3.5% in the proposed HVAC model. Overall, using the proposed HVAC system for urban subways led to a decrease in the mean value of the probability of encountering the aerosol by approximately 84% compared with that of the conventional system.

No magic bullet: Limiting in-school transmission in the face of variable SARS-CoV-2 viral loads

In the face of a long-running pandemic, understanding the drivers of ongoing SARS-CoV-2 transmission is crucial for the rational management of COVID-19 disease burden. Keeping schools open has emerged as a vital societal imperative during the pandemic, but in-school transmission of SARS-CoV-2 can contribute to further prolonging the pandemic. In this context, the role of schools in driving SARS-CoV-2 transmission acquires critical importance. Here we model in-school transmission from first principles to investigate the effectiveness of layered mitigation strategies on limiting in-school spread. We examined the effect of masks and air quality (ventilation, filtration and ionizers) on steady-state viral load in classrooms, as well as on the number of particles inhaled by an uninfected person. The effectiveness of these measures in limiting viral transmission was assessed for variants with different levels of mean viral load (ancestral, Delta, Omicron). Our results suggest that a layered mitigation strategy can be used effectively to limit in-school transmission, with certain limitations. First, poorly designed strategies (insufficient ventilation, no masks, staying open under high levels of community transmission) will permit in-school spread even if some level of mitigation is present. Second, for viral variants that are sufficiently contagious, it may be difficult to construct any set of interventions capable of blocking transmission once an infected individual is present, underscoring the importance of other measures. Our findings provide practical recommendations; in particular, the use of a layered mitigation strategy that is designed to limit transmission, with other measures such as frequent surveillance testing and smaller class sizes (such as by offering remote schooling options to those who prefer it) as needed.

Characteristics of collection and inactivation of virus in air flowing inside a winding conduit equipped with 280 nm deep UV-LEDs

A general-purpose virus inactivation unit that can inactivate viruses was developed using deep ultraviolet (DUV) LEDs that emit DUV rays with a wavelength of 280 nm. The inside of the virus inactivation unit is a rectangular conduit with a sharp turn of 180° (sharp-turned rectangular conduit). Virus inactivation is attempted by directly irradiating the air passing through the conduit with DUV rays. The flow characteristics of air and virus particles inside the virus inactivation unit were investigated using numerical simulations. The air was locally accelerated at the sharp turn parts and flowed along the partition plate in the sharp-turned rectangular conduit. The aerosol particles moving in the sharp-turned rectangular conduit were greatly bent in orbit at the sharp turn parts, and then rapidly approached the partition plate at the lower part of the conduit. Consequently, many particles collided with the partition plates behind the sharp-turn parts. SARS-CoV-2 virus was nebulized in the virus inactivation unit, and the RNA concentration and virus inactivation rate with and without the emission of DUV-LEDs were measured in the experiment. The concentration of SARS-CoV-2 RNA was reduced to 60% through DUV-LED irradiation. In addition, SARS-CoV-2 passing through the virus inactivation unit was inactivated below the detection limit by the emission of DUV-LEDs. The virus inactivation rate and the value of the detection limit corresponded to 99.38% and 35.36 TCID₅₀/mL, respectively.

Combining Phi6 as a surrogate virus and computational large-eddy simulations to study airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in a restaurant

COVID-19 has highlighted the need for indoor risk-reduction strategies. Our aim is to provide information about the virus dispersion and attempts to reduce the infection risk. Indoor transmission was studied simulating a dining situation in a restaurant. Aerosolized Phi6 viruses were detected with several methods. The aerosol dispersion was modeled by using the Large-Eddy Simulation (LES) technique. Three risk-reduction strategies were studied: (1) augmenting ventilation with air purifiers, (2) spatial partitioning with dividers, and (3) combination of 1 and 2. In all simulations infectious viruses were detected throughout the space proving the existence long-distance aerosol transmission indoors. Experimental cumulative virus numbers and LES dispersion results were qualitatively similar. The LES results were further utilized to derive the evolution of infection probability. Air purifiers augmenting the effective ventilation rate by 65% reduced the spatially averaged infection probability by 30%-32%. This relative reduction manifests with approximately 15 min lag as aerosol dispersion only gradually reaches the purifier units. Both viral findings and LES results confirm that spatial partitioning has a negligible effect on the mean infection-probability indoors, but may affect the local levels adversely. Exploitation of high-resolution LES jointly with microbiological measurements enables an informative interpretation of the experimental results and facilitates a more complete risk assessment.

Ventilation reconstruction in bathrooms for restraining hazardous plume: Mitigate COVID-19 and beyond

Converging evidence reports that the probability of vertical transmission patterns via shared drainage systems, may be responsible for the huge contactless community outbreak in high-rise buildings. Publications indicate that a faulty bathroom exhaust fan system is ineffective in removing lifted hazardous virus-laden aerosols from the toilet bowl space. Common strategies (boosting ventilation capability and applying disinfection tablets) seem unsustainable and remain to date untested. Using combined simulation and experimental approaches, we compared three ventilation schemes in a family bathroom including the traditional ceiling fan, floor fan, and side-wall fan. We found that the traditional ceiling fan was barely functional whereby aerosol particles were not being adequately removed. Conversely, a side-wall fan could function efficiently and an enhanced ventilation capability can have increased performance whereby nearly 80.9% of the lifted aerosol particles were removed. There exists a common, and easily-overlooked mistake in the layout of the bathroom, exposing occupants to a contactless vertical pathogen aerosol transmission route. Corrections and dissemination are thus imperative for the reconstruction of these types of family bathrooms. Our findings provide evidence for the bathroom and smart ventilation system upgrade, promoting indoor public health and human hygiene.

Field Experiments to Identify and Eliminate Recirculation Zones to Improve Indoor Ventilation: Comparison with CFD

Ventilation of shared indoor spaces is crucial for mitigating air-borne infection spread among its occupants. Replacing the air in a room with fresh air is key to minimize the concentration of potentially infectious aerosol generated in the room. Recirculating air flow present at corners and around obstacles can trap air and infectious aerosol. This can significantly delay their evacuation by the ventilation system. Knowing the location and extent of such recirculation zones is, therefore, important. In this work, we present flow visualization experiments to identify recirculation zones in an enclosed space. It is based on the deflection of the smoke streak generated by an incense stick. We use particle image velocimetry (PIV) post-processing to quantify the deflection of the smoke streak and use it as an indicator of the direction of local air flow. Positive deflection, defined as the deflection towards the exit location, is associated with primary flow present in well-ventilated regions of the room. On the other hand, negative deflection indicates reversed flow in recirculation zones, where the smoke streak is defined away from the exit location. The technique is applied to a public shared washroom, where the toilet seat is found to be in a well-ventilated region, while the washbasin is in a large recirculation zone. We compare the experimental point measurements with flow field solution obtained using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). We also explore geometry modifications as a strategy to eliminate the recirculation zone over the washbasin.

Natural Ventilation and Aerosol Particles Dispersion Indoors

Aerosol pollutant particles indoors significantly affect public health. The conventional wisdom is that natural ventilation will alleviate the dispersion of airborne or aerosol particles. However, we show that the problem is far more complex and that natural ventilation should be applied under specific conditions to be effective. We performed several simulations of a simplified (and easily reproducible) room with a window opening and aerosol particles stratified layers. Opening a window can scatter particles present in stratified layers indoors and potentially contribute to the degradation of indoor air quality for a significant period of time. Moreover, we show that thermal instabilities arising from the temperature gradients due to temperature differences between the indoor and outdoor environment spread the particles randomly indoors, adversely affecting air quality and architectural design. Recommendations for more efficient natural ventilation minimizing aerosol pollutant particles dispersed indoors are provided.

The effect of relative air humidity on the evaporation timescales of a human sneeze

The present paper investigates droplet and aerosol emission from the human respiratory function by numerical and experimental methods, which is analyzed at the worst-case scenario, a violent sneeze without a face covering. The research findings develop the understanding of airborne disease transmission relevant to COVID-19, its recent variants, and other airborne pathogens. A human sneeze is studied using a multiphase Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model using detached eddy simulation coupled to the emission of droplets that break up, evaporate, and disperse. The model provides one of the first experimental benchmarks of CFD predictions of a human sneeze event. The experiments optically capture aerosols and droplets and are processed to provide spatiotemporal data to validate the CFD model. Under the context of large random uncertainty, the studies indicate the reasonable correlation of CFD prediction with experimental measurements using velocity profiles and exposure levels, indicating that the model captures the salient details relevant to pathogen dispersion. Second, the CFD model was extended to study the effect of relative humidity with respect to the Wells curve, providing additional insight into the complexities of evaporation and sedimentation characteristics in the context of turbulent and elevated humidity conditions associated with the sneeze. The CFD results indicated correlation with the Wells curve with additional insight into features, leading to non-conservative aspects associated with increased suspension time. These factors are found to be associated with the combination of evaporation and fluid-structure-induced suspension. This effect is studied for various ambient air humidity levels and peaks for lower humidity levels, indicating that the Wells curve may need a buffer in dry climates. Specifically, we find that the increased risk in dry climates may be up to 50% higher than would be predicted using the underlying assumptions in Wells' model.

Systematic summary and analysis of Chinese HVAC guidelines coping with COVID-19

Heating, Ventilation, and Air-Conditioning (HVAC) system that is almost indispensable service system of modern buildings is recognized as the most important engineering control measure against pandemics. However, the effectiveness of HVAC systems has been questioned on their ability to control airborne transmission. After the outbreak of COVID-19, China has controlled the spread within a relatively short period. Considering the large population, high population density, busy transportation and the overall underdeveloped economy, China's control measures may have some implications to other countries, especially those with limited resources. This paper intends to provide a systematic summary of Chinese ventilation guidelines issued to cope with COVID-19 transmission. The following three aspects are the main focus of these guidelines: (1) general operation and management schemes of various types of HVAC systems, (2) operation and management schemes of HVAC system in typical types of buildings, and (3) design schemes of HVAC system of makeshift hospitals. In addition, some important differences in HVAC guidelines between China and other countries/institutions are identified and compared, and the possible reasons are discussed. Further discussions are made on the following topics, including the required fresh air supply, the extended operation time, the use of auxiliary equipment, the limited capacity of existing systems, and the use of personalized systems.

Use of portable air purifiers as local exhaust ventilation during COVID-19

The purpose of this study was to determine if strategic placement of portable air purifiers would improve effectiveness of aerosol reduction in a space as compared to use as a general room air purifier. Two sizes of portable air purifiers were placed in two different positions intended to function similar to either a local exhaust ventilation hood or an air curtain to determine if strategic placement would lead to a reduction of particles in a worker's position at a desk in an office environment. Particle generators were used to introduce particulate into the air and personal aerosol monitors measured particles during each test condition. Results showed that when the medium room portable air purifiers used in this study were set to high, corresponding to 98 CFM, and placed near the breathing zone of each office worker with the unit's filter cover removed, the particle concentration was reduced 35% beyond the reduction that would be expected if the same units were placed on the floor behind the occupant's workstation. Results also indicated that the larger portable air purifier tested, positioned as close as reasonable to each occupant's breathing zone with the largest capture area possible (i.e., removing the unit's filter cover), delivers the best aerosol reduction performance. The authors concluded that as a layer of protection against transmission of airborne infectious organisms for office occupants, installing a portable air purifier, sized and operated similar to the units tested in this study on the desk 12 inches from the breathing zone of the worker, has the potential to reduce airborne particulate to a greater degree than if the same units were placed outside of the breathing zone, in the general cubicle area.

Localized and Whole-Room Effects of Portable Air Filtration Units on Aerosol Particle Deposition and Concentration in a Classroom Environment

In indoor environments with limited ventilation, recirculating portable air filtration (PAF) units may reduce COVID-19 infection risk via not only the direct aerosol route (i.e., inhalation) but also via an indirect aerosol route (i.e., contact with the surface where aerosol particles deposited). We systematically investigated the impact of PAF units in a mock classroom, as a supplement to background ventilation, on localized and whole-room surface deposition and particle concentration. Fluorescently tagged particles with a volumetric mean diameter near 2 μm were continuously introduced into the classroom environment via a breathing simulator with a prescribed inhalation-exhalation waveform. Deposition velocities were inferred on >50 horizontal and vertical surfaces throughout the classroom, while aerosol concentrations were spatially monitored via optical particle spectrometry. Results revealed a particle decay rate consistent with expectations based upon the reported clean air delivery rates of the PAF units. Additionally, the PAF units reduced peak concentrations by a factor of around 2.5 compared to the highest concentrations observed and led to a statistically significant reduction in deposition velocities for horizontal surfaces >2.5 m from the aerosol source. Our results not only confirm that PAF units can reduce particle concentrations but also demonstrate that they may lead to reduced particle deposition throughout an indoor environment when properly positioned with respect to the location of the particle source(s) within the room (e.g., where the largest group of students sit) and the predominant air distribution profile of the room.

Evaluation of Betacoronavirus OC43 and SARS-CoV-2 Elimination by Zefero Air Sanitizer Device in a Novel Laboratory Recirculation System

Indoor air sanitizers contrast airborne diseases and particularly severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)/Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The commercial air sanitizer Zefero (Cf7 S.r.l., San Giovanni La Punta, Italy) works alternatively using a set of integrated disinfecting technologies (namely Photocatalysis/UV mode) or by generating ozone (Ozone mode). Here we evaluated the virucidal efficacy of Zefero setup modes against human Betacoronavirus OC43 and SARS-CoV-2. For this purpose, we designed a laboratory test system in which each virus, as aerosol, was treated with Photocatalysis/UV or Ozone mode and returned into a recirculation plexiglass chamber. Aerosol samples were collected after different times of exposure, corresponding to different volumes of air treated. The viral RNA concentration was determined by qRT-PCR. In Photocatalysis/UV mode, viral RNA of OC43 or SARS-CoV-2 was not detected after 120 or 90 min treatment, respectively, whereas in Ozone mode, viruses were eliminated after 30 or 45 min, respectively. Our results indicated that the integrated technologies used in the air sanitizer Zefero are effective in eliminating both viruses. As a reliable experimental system, the recirculation chamber developed in this study represents a suitable apparatus for effectively comparing the disinfection capacity of different air sanitizers.

The computational fluid dynamics-based epidemic model and the pandemic scenarios

This study presents a computational fluid dynamics, susceptible-infected-recovered-based epidemic model that relates weather conditions to airborne virus transmission dynamics. The model considers the relationship between weather seasonality, airborne virus transmission, and pandemic outbreaks. We examine multiple scenarios of the COVID-19 fifth wave in London, United Kingdom, showing the potential peak and the period occurring. The study also shows the importance of fluid dynamics and computational modeling in developing more advanced epidemiological models in the future.

Experimental study of the dispersion of cough-generated droplets from a person going up- or downstairs

The dispersion of cough-generated droplets from a person going up- or downstairs was investigated through a laboratory experiment in a water tunnel. This experiment was carried out with a manikin mounted at inclination angles facing the incoming flow to mimic a person going up or down. Detailed velocity measurements and flow visualization were conducted in the water tunnel experiments. To investigate the influence of the initial position on the motion of particles, a virtual particle approach was adopted to simulate the dispersion of particles using the measured velocity field. Particle clustering, which is caused by the unsteadiness of the flow, was observed in both flow visualization and virtual particle simulation. For the case of going upstairs, particles are concentrated below the person's shoulder and move downward with a short travel distance. For the case of going downstairs, particles dispersing over the person's head advect over for a long distance. We also found that the motion of the particles is closely related to the initial position. According to the results in this study, suggestions for the prevention of respiratory infectious disease are made.

Effects of purifiers on the airborne transmission of droplets inside a bus

During an airborne infectious disease outbreak, bus passengers can be easily infected by the dispersion of exhaled droplets from an infected passenger. Therefore, measures to control the transport of droplets are necessary, such as a mask or purifier. The current research examined aerosol transport in a bus with air-conditioning. To determine the dispersion path, deposition distribution, and droplet escape time, the computational fluid dynamics were used to predict the flow field and the dispersion of droplets considering the effects of droplet size, location of the infected person, and purifier type. In addition, based on the viability and the number of virus particles in a droplet, the total number of virus particles inhaled by passengers over a 4-h journey was obtained by the superposition method. The Wells-Riley equation was then used to assess the infection risk of the passengers in the bus cabin. The results showed that droplets with a size of 1-20 μm have essentially the same deposition characteristics, and the location of the infected passenger affects the distribution of droplets' transport and the effectiveness of a purifier in removing droplets. A purifier can effectively remove droplets from passengers' coughs and reduce the infection risk of passengers. The performance of the smaller purifiers is not as stable as that of the larger purifiers, and the performance is influenced by the airflow structure where the infected passenger is located.

Evaluation of multiple fixed in-room air cleaners with ultraviolet germicidal irradiation, in high-occupancy areas of selected commercial indoor environments

The use of ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) to combat disease transmission has come into the international spotlight again because of the recent SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and ongoing outbreaks of multidrug resistant organisms in hospitals. Although the implementation of ultraviolet disinfection technology is widely employed in healthcare facilities and its effectiveness has been repeatedly demonstrated, the use of such technology in the commercial sector has been limited. Considering that most disease transmission occurs in commercial, public, and residential indoor environments as opposed to healthcare facilities, there is a need to understand whether ultraviolet (UV) disinfection technology can be effective for mitigating disease transmission in these environments. The results presented here demonstrate that the installation of fixed in-room UVGI air cleaners in commercial buildings, including restaurants and offices, can produce significant reductions in both airborne and surface-borne bacterial contamination. Total airborne reductions after UV implementation at six separate commercial sites averaged 73% (p < 0.0001) with a range of 71-88%. Total non-high touch surface reductions after implementation averaged 55% (p < 0.0001) with a range of 28-88%. All reductions at the mitigated sites were statistically significant. The mean value of indoor airborne bacteria was 320 CFU/m³ before intervention and 76 CFU/m³ after. The mean value of indoor non-high touch surface borne bacteria was 131 CFU/plate before intervention and 47 CFU/plate after. All test locations and controls had their required pandemic cleaning procedures in place for pre- and post-sampling events. Outdoor levels of airborne bacteria were monitored and there was no significant correlation between the levels of airborne bacteria in the outside air as opposed to the indoor air. Rooms with fixed in-room UVGI air cleaners installed had significant CFU reductions on local surface contamination, which is a novel and important finding. Installation of fixed in-room UVGI air cleaners in commercial buildings will decontaminate the indoor environment and reduce hazardous exposure to human pathogens.

Numerical investigation of droplets in a cross-ventilated space with sitting passengers under asymptomatic virus transmission conditions

Asymptomatic virus transmission in public transportation is a complex process that is difficult to analyze computationally and experimentally. We present a high-resolution computational study for investigating droplet dynamics under a speech-like exhalation mode. A large eddy simulation coupled with Lagrangian tracking of drops was used to model a rectangular space with sitting thermal bodies and cross-ventilated with a multislot diffuser. Release of drops from different seat positions was evaluated to analyze the decontamination performance of the ventilation system. The results showed an overall good performance, with an average of 24.1% of droplets removed through the exhaust in the first 40 s. The droplets' distribution revealed that higher concentrations were less prevalent along the center of the domain where the passengers sit. Longitudinal contamination between rows was noted, which is a negative aspect for containing the risk of infection in a given row but has the benefit of diluting the concentration of infectious droplets. Droplets from the window seat raised more vertically and invaded the space of other passengers to a lesser extent. In contrast, droplets released from the middle seat contaminated more the aisle passenger's space, indicating that downward flow from personal ventilation could move down droplets to its breathing region. Droplets released from the aisle were dragged down by the ventilation system immediately. The distance of drops to the mouth of the passengers showed that the majority passed at a relatively safe distance. However, a few of them passed at a close distance of the order of magnitude of 1 cm.

The Impact of Large Mobile Air Purifiers on Aerosol Concentration in Classrooms and the Reduction of Airborne Transmission of SARS-CoV-2

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, an increased risk of infection by virus-containing aerosols indoors is assumed. Especially in schools, the duration of stay is long and the number of people in the rooms is large, increasing the risk of infection. This problem particularly affects schools without pre-installed ventilation systems that are equipped with filters and/or operate with fresh air. Here, the aerosol concentration is reduced by natural ventilation. In this context, we are investigating the effect of large mobile air purifiers (AP) with HEPA filters on particle concentration and their suitability for classroom use in a primary school in Germany. The three tested APs differ significantly in their air outlet characteristics. Measurements of the number of particles, the particle size distribution, and the CO₂ concentration were carried out in the classroom with students (April/May 2021) and with an aerosol generator without students. In this regard, the use of APs leads to a substantial reduction of aerosol particles in the considered particle size range of 0.178-17.78 µm. At the same time, the three APs are found to have differences in their particle decay rate, noise level, and flow velocity. In addition to the measurements, the effect of various influencing parameters on the potential inhaled particle dose was investigated using a calculation model. The parameters considered include the duration of stay, particle concentration in exhaled air, respiratory flow rate, virus lifetime, ventilation interval, ventilation efficiency, AP volumetric flow, as well as room size. Based on the resulting effect diagrams, significant recommendations can be derived for reducing the risk of infection from virus-laden aerosols. Finally, the measurements were compared to computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling, as such tools can aid the optimal placement and configuration of APs and can be used to study the effect of the spread of aerosols from a source in the classroom.

Effect of recirculation zones on the ventilation of a public washroom

Air-borne transmission can pose a major risk of infection spread in enclosed spaces. Venting the air out using exhaust fans and ducts is a common approach to mitigate the risk. In this work, we study the air flow set up by an exhaust fan in a typical shared washroom that can be a potential hot spot for COVID-19 transmission. The primary focus is on the regions of recirculating flow that can harbor infectious aerosol for much longer than the well-ventilated parts of the room. Computational fluid dynamics is used to obtain the steady state air flow field, and Lagrangian tracking of particles gives the spatial and temporal distribution of infectious aerosol in the domain. It is found that the washbasin located next to the door is in a prominent recirculation zone, and particles injected in this region take much longer to be evacuated. The ventilation rate is found to be governed by the air residence time in the recirculation zone, and it is much higher than the timescale based on fully mixed reactor model of the room. Increasing the fan flow rate can reduce the ventilation time, but cannot eliminate the recirculation zones in the washroom.

Mixing at the interface of the sneezing/coughing phenomena and its effect on viral loading

The primary objective of this work is to investigate the mixing of droplets/aerosols, which originates from the sneezing/coughing (of possibly COVID-19 patient) with the ambient atmosphere. Effectively, we are studying the growth/decay of droplets/aerosols in the presence of inhomogeneous mixing, which focuses on the phenomena of entrainment of the (relatively) dry ambient air. We have varied the initial standard deviation, mean radius of the droplets/aerosols size distribution, and humidity of the ambient atmosphere to understand their effects on the final size spectra of droplets. Furthermore, a rigorous error analysis is carried out to understand the relative importance of these effects on the final spectra of droplets/aerosols. We find that these are vital parameters to determine the final spectra of droplets, which govern the broadening of the size spectra. Typically, broadening the size spectra of droplets/aerosols increases the probability of the virus-laden droplets/aerosols and thus could affect the transmission of infection in the ambient atmosphere.

COVID-19 spread in a classroom equipped with partition - A CFD approach

In this study, the motion and distribution of droplets containing coronaviruses emitted by coughing of an infected person in front of a classroom (e.g., a teacher) were investigated using CFD. A 3D turbulence model was used to simulate the airflow in the classroom, and a Lagrangian particle trajectory analysis method was used to track the droplets. The numerical model was validated and was used to study the effects of ventilation airflow speeds of 3, 5, and 7 m/s on the dispersion of droplets of different sizes. In particular, the effect of installing transparent barriers in front of the seats on reducing the average droplet concentration was examined. The results showed that using the seat partitions for individuals can prevent the infection to a certain extent. An increase in the ventilation air velocity increased the droplets' velocities in the airflow direction, simultaneously reducing the trapping time of the droplets by solid barriers. As expected, in the absence of partitions, the closest seats to the infected person had the highest average droplet concentration (3.80 × 10-8 kg/m3 for the case of 3 m/s).

Challenges in simulating and modeling the airborne virus transmission: A state-of-the-art review

Recently, the COVID-19 virus pandemic has led to many studies on the airborne transmission of expiratory droplets. While limited experiments and on-site measurements offer qualitative indication of potential virus spread rates and the level of transmission risk, the quantitative understanding and mechanistic insights also indispensably come from careful theoretical modeling and numerical simulation efforts around which a surge of research papers has emerged. However, due to the highly interdisciplinary nature of the topic, numerical simulations of the airborne spread of expiratory droplets face serious challenges. It is essential to examine the assumptions and simplifications made in the existing modeling and simulations, which will be reviewed carefully here to better advance the fidelity of numerical results when compared to the reality. So far, existing review papers have focused on discussing the simulation results without questioning or comparing the model assumptions. This review paper focuses instead on the details of the model simplifications used in the numerical methods and how to properly incorporate important processes associated with respiratory droplet transmission. Specifically, the critical issues reviewed here include modeling of the respiratory droplet evaporation, droplet size distribution, and time-dependent velocity profile of air exhaled from coughing and sneezing. According to the literature review, another problem in numerical simulations is that the virus decay rate and suspended viable viral dose are often not incorporated; therefore here, empirical relationships for the bioactivity of coronavirus are presented. It is hoped that this paper can assist researchers to significantly improve their model fidelity when simulating respiratory droplet transmission.

Spread of virus laden aerosols inside a moving sports utility vehicle with open windows: A numerical study

A three dimensional Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model to study the dispersion of virus laden aerosols in a car moving with its windows open is reported. The aerosols are generated when a possibly infected passenger speaks. A sports utility vehicle having three rows of seats has been considered. As the vehicle moves forward, its interior will exchange air from the surroundings. The CFD model captures the flow patterns generated both outside and inside the vehicle. This internal aerodynamics will in turn dictate how aerosols will spread across the interior and whether or not they will be transported outside the vehicle. A Lagrangian approach is used to determine the transport of the aerosol particles and the effect of particle size on the simulation result has been studied. Four sets of scenarios of practical interest have been considered. The first set shows the effect of vehicle speed on aerosol transport, and the second set describes what happens when some of the windows are closed, while the third set describes how aerosol transport is affected by the location of the passenger speaking. The fourth set describes how a gush of cross wind affects aerosol transport. Simulation results reveal that when all windows are open, aerosols can go out of one window and then return back to the vehicle interior through another window. Results also reveal that when a passenger sitting in the second row speaks, the aerosols generated span across the entire volume of the car interior before going out through the open windows.

Airborne transmission of respiratory viruses

The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed critical knowledge gaps in our understanding of and a need to update the traditional view of transmission pathways for respiratory viruses. The long-standing definitions of droplet and airborne transmission do not account for the mechanisms by which virus-laden respiratory droplets and aerosols travel through the air and lead to infection. In this Review, we discuss current evidence regarding the transmission of respiratory viruses by aerosols-how they are generated, transported, and deposited, as well as the factors affecting the relative contributions of droplet-spray deposition versus aerosol inhalation as modes of transmission. Improved understanding of aerosol transmission brought about by studies of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection requires a reevaluation of the major transmission pathways for other respiratory viruses, which will allow better-informed controls to reduce airborne transmission.

Airborne transmission of respiratory viruses

The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed critical knowledge gaps in our understanding of and a need to update the traditional view of transmission pathways for respiratory viruses. The long-standing definitions of droplet and airborne transmission do not account for the mechanisms by which virus-laden respiratory droplets and aerosols travel through the air and lead to infection. In this Review, we discuss current evidence regarding the transmission of respiratory viruses by aerosols-how they are generated, transported, and deposited, as well as the factors affecting the relative contributions of droplet-spray deposition versus aerosol inhalation as modes of transmission. Improved understanding of aerosol transmission brought about by studies of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection requires a reevaluation of the major transmission pathways for other respiratory viruses, which will allow better-informed controls to reduce airborne transmission.

Numerical investigation of respiratory drops dynamics released during vocalization

Release of drops from a human body has been the focus of many recent investigations because of the current COVID-19 pandemic. Indirect virus transmission from asymptomatic individuals has been proved to be one of the major infectious routes and difficult to quantify, detect, and mitigate. We show in this work a detailed and novel numerical investigation of drops released during vocalization from a thermal manikin using a large eddy simulation coupled with Lagrangian tracking of drops. The vocalization experiment was modeled using existing data from the literature for modeling exhaled airflow, emission rate, and size distribution. Particular focus was on the definition of the boundary conditions for the exhalation process. Turbulence was compared with experimental data for the near mouth region for 75 exhalation breathing cycles and showed the sensitivity of different modeling assumptions at the mouth inlet. The results provide insights of special interest for understanding drop dynamics in speech-like exhalation modes, modeling the mouth inlet boundary conditions, and providing data for verifying other more simplified models.

Double masking protection vs. comfort-A quantitative assessment

COVID-19 has forced humankind to adopt face masks as an integral part of everyday life. This preventive measure is an effective source control technique to curb the spread of COVID-19 and other similar diseases. The virus responsible for causing COVID-19 has undergone several mutations in the recent past, including B.1.1.7, B.1.351, P.1, and N501Y, B.1.617, with a higher infectious rate. These viruses' variants are mainly responsible for the recent spike in COVID-19 cases and associated steep rise in mortality rate worldwide. Under these circumstances, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and health experts recommend double masking, which mainly includes a surgical mask and a cotton mask for the general public. This combination provides an additional layer of protection and masks fitment to minimize the leakage of droplets expelled during coughing, sneezing, talking, and breathing. This leakage may cause airborne transmission of the virus. In the present study, we report a systematic quantitative unsteady pressure measurement supplement with flow visualization to quantify the effectiveness of a single and double mask. We have also evaluated double masking consisting of a surgical mask and an N-95 mask used by medical professionals. A simple knot improves the surgical mask fitment significantly, and hence, the leakage of droplets is minimized. The leakage of the droplets was reduced to a large extent by using a double mask combination of a two-layer cotton mask over the surgical mask with a knot. The double mask combination of surgical + N-95 and two-layer cotton + N-95 masks showed the most promising results, and no leakage of the droplets is observed in the forward direction. A double mask combination of surgical and N-95 mask offers 8.6% and 5.6% lower mean and peak pressures compared to surgical, and cotton mask. The best results are observed with cotton and N-95 masks with 54.6% and 23% lower mean and peak pressures than surgical and cotton masks; hence, this combination will offer more comfort to the wearer.

Droplet fate, efficacy of face mask, and transmission of virus-laden droplets inside a conference room

The second and third waves of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic have hit the world. Even after more than a year, the economy is yet to return to a semblance of normality. The conference/meeting room is one of the critical sections of offices that might be difficult not to use. This study analyzes the distribution of the virus-laden droplets expelled by coughing inside a conference room, the effect of ventilation rates, and their positioning. The efficacy of masks is studied to get quantitative information regarding the residence time of the droplets. The effects of evaporation, turbulent dispersion, and external forces have been considered for calculating the droplets' trajectories. We have analyzed six cases, of which two are with masks. Change in the ventilation rate from four air changes per hour (ACH) to eight resulted in a 9 % increment in the number of droplets entrained in the outlet vent, while their average residence time was reduced by ∼   8   s . The shift in the vents' location has significantly altered droplets' distribution inside a conference room. It results in ∼   1.5 % of the injected droplets reaching persons sitting across the table, and a similar indoor environment is not recommended. Wearing a mask in the case of eight ACH has presented the best scenario out of the six cases, with a 6.5 % improvement in the number of droplets entrained in the outlet vent and a 9   s decrease in their average residence time compared to the case without a mask. No droplets have reached persons sitting across the table when the infected person is wearing the mask, which follows that a social distancing of 6   ft with a mask is adequate in indoor environments.

Airborne transmission of COVID-19 and mitigation using box fan air cleaners in a poorly ventilated classroom

Many indoor places, including aged classrooms and offices, prisons, homeless shelters, etc., are poorly ventilated but resource-limited to afford expensive ventilation upgrades or commercial air purification systems, raising concerns on the safety of opening activities in these places in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic. To address this challenge, using computational fluid dynamics, we conducted a systematic investigation of airborne transmission in a classroom equipped with a single horizontal unit ventilator (HUV) and evaluate the performance of a low-cost box fan air cleaner for risk mitigation. Our study shows that placing box fan air cleaners in the classroom results in a substantial reduction of airborne transmission risk across the entire space. The air cleaner can achieve optimal performance when placed near the asymptomatic patient. However, without knowing the location of the patient, the performance of the cleaner is optimal near the HUV with the air flowing downwards. In addition, we find that it is more efficient in reducing aerosol concentration and spread in the classroom by adding air cleaners in comparison with raising the flow rate of HUV alone. The number and placement of air cleaners need to be adjusted to maintain their efficacy for larger classrooms and to account for the thermal gradient associated with a human thermal plume and hot ventilation air during cold seasons. Overall, our study shows that box fan air cleaners can serve as an effective low-cost alternative for mitigating airborne transmission risks in poorly ventilated spaces.

Effects of slope and speed of escalator on the dispersion of cough-generated droplets from a passenger

During the pandemic of COVID-19, the public is encouraged to take stairs or escalators instead of elevators. However, the dispersion of respiratory droplets in these places, featured by slopes and human motion, is not well understood yet. It is consequently unclear whether the commonly recommended social-distancing guidelines are still appropriate in these scenarios. In this work, we analyze the dispersion of cough-generated droplets from a passenger riding an escalator with numerical simulations, focusing on the effects of the slope and speed of the escalator on the droplet dispersion. In the simulations, a one-way coupled Eulerian-Lagrangian approach is adopted, with the air-flow solved using the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes method and the droplets modeled as passive Lagrangian particles. It is found that the slope alters the vertical concentration of the droplets in the passenger's wake significantly. The deflection of cough-generated jet and the wake flow behind the passenger drive the cough-generated droplets upwards when descending an escalator and downwards when ascending, resulting in both higher suspension height and larger spreading range of the viral droplets on a descending escalator than on an ascending one. These findings suggest that the present social-distancing guidelines may be inadequate on descending escalators and need further investigation.

Numerical study of COVID-19 spatial-temporal spreading in London

A recent study reported that an aerosolized virus (COVID-19) can survive in the air for a few hours. It is highly possible that people get infected with the disease by breathing and contact with items contaminated by the aerosolized virus. However, the aerosolized virus transmission and trajectories in various meteorological environments remain unclear. This paper has investigated the movement of aerosolized viruses from a high concentration source across a dense urban area. The case study looks at the highly air polluted areas of London: University College Hospital (UCH) and King's Cross and St Pancras International Station (KCSPI). We explored the spread and decay of COVID-19 released from the hospital and railway stations with the prescribed meteorological conditions. The study has three key findings: the primary result is that the concentration of viruses decreases rapidly by a factor of 2-3 near the sources although the virus may travel from meters up to hundreds of meters from the source location for certain meteorological conditions. The secondary finding shows viruses released into the atmosphere from entry and exit points at KCSPI remain trapped within a small radial distance of < 50 m. This strengthens the case for the use of face coverings to reduce the infection rate. The final finding shows that there are different levels of risk at various door locations for UCH; depending on which door is used there can be a higher concentration of COVID-19. Although our results are based on London, since the fundamental knowledge processes are the same, our study can be further extended to other locations (especially the highly air polluted areas) in the world.