Analysis of the spread of SARS-CoV-2 in a hospital isolation room using CFD and Lagrangian Coherent Structures

TL;DR

An analysis of the propagation of the SARS-CoV-2, or other similar pathogens, in a hospital isolation room using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and Lagrangian Coherent Structures (LCS).

Abstract

This research paper presents an analysis of the propagation of the SARS-CoV-2, or other similar pathogens, in a hospital isolation room using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and Lagrangian Coherent Structures (LCS). The study investigates the airflow dispersion and droplets in the room under air conditioning vent and sanitizer conditions. The CFD simulation results show that both the air conditioner and sanitizer systems significantly influence the dispersion of the virus in the room. The use of LCS enables acquiring a deep understanding of the dispersion of suspended particles, providing insights into the mechanisms of virus transmission. The findings of this study could help in developing strategies for improving the design and operation of isolation rooms to minimize the likelihood of virus dissemination within hospitals.

Figures (9)

• Figure 1: The geometry and domain of the hospital isolation room for computational analysis.
• Figure 2: Details of numerical CFD simulation grid a) grid of isolation room b) grid of $x$-$y$ view and c) grid of $x$-$z$ view
• Figure 3: A representation of $||\mathbf{u}||$ inside the isolation room at cut-planes: $x=0$, $z=-0.9$ and $z=0.35$.
• Figure 4: A representation of turbulent kinetic energy inside the isolation room at cut-planes: $x=0$, $z=-0.9$ and $z=0.35$.
• Figure 5: A representation of fluid parcels inside the isolation room. The trajectory paths are colored according to the value of $||\mathbf{u}||$.