Publication Summary
Understanding how airborne pathogens are transported through hospital wards is essential for determining the infection risk to patients and healthcare workers. This study utilizes Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations to explore pathogen transport within a six-bed Nightingale hospital ward. Grid independence of a ward model was addressed using the Grid Convergence Index (GCI) from solutions obtained using three fully-structured grids. Pathogens were simulated using source terms in conjunction with a scalar transport equation and a RANS turbulence model. Errors were found to be less than 4% in the prediction of air velocities but an average of 13% was seen in the scalar field. A parametric study into the pathogen release point illustrated that its distribution is strongly influenced by the local velocity field and the degree of mixing present.
CAER Authors
Prof. Catherine Noakes
University of Leeds - Professor of Environmental Engineering for Buildings