CFD Simulation of the Airborne Transmission of COVID-19 Vectors Emitted during Respiratory Mechanisms: Revisiting the Concept of Safe Distance.

ABSTRACT: The airborne transmission of the COVID-19 virus has been suggested as a major mode of transmission in recent studies. In this context, we studied the spatial transmission of COVID-19 vectors in an indoor setting representative of a typical office room. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations were performed to study the airborne dispersion of particles ejected due to different respiratory mechanisms, i.e., coughing, sneezing, normal talking, and loud talking. Number concentration profiles at a distance of 2 m in front of the emitter at the ventilation rates of 4, 6, and 8 air changes per hour (ACH) were estimated for different combinations of inlet-outlet positions and emitter-receptor configurations. Apart from respiratory events, viz., coughing and sneezing characterized by higher

SUBMITTER: Mariam 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8247784 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature