Experimental measurements and large eddy simulation of expiratory droplet dispersion in a mechanically ventilated enclosure with thermal effects

Abdallah S Berrouk; Alvin C K Lai; Albert C T Cheung; S L Wong

doi:10.1016/j.buildenv.2009.06.016

Experimental measurements and large eddy simulation of expiratory droplet dispersion in a mechanically ventilated enclosure with thermal effects

Build Environ. 2010 Feb;45(2):371-379. doi: 10.1016/j.buildenv.2009.06.016. Epub 2009 Jun 26.

Authors

Abdallah S Berrouk¹, Alvin C K Lai², Albert C T Cheung², S L Wong²

Affiliations

¹ Chemical Engineering Program, The Petroleum Institute, United Arab Emirates.
² Department of Building and Construction, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China.

Abstract

Understanding of droplet transport in indoor environments with thermal effects is very important to comprehend the airborne pathogen infection through expiratory droplets. In this work, a well-resolved Large Eddy Simulation (LES) was performed to compute the concentration profiles of monodisperse aerosols in non-isothermal low-Reynolds turbulent flow taking place in an enclosed environment. Good care was taken to ensure that the main dynamical features of the continuous phase were captured by the present LES. The particle phase was studied in both Lagrangian and Eulerian frameworks. Steady temperature and velocity were measured prior to droplet emission. Evolution of aerosol concentration was measured by a particle counter. Results of the present LES were to compare reasonably well with the experimental findings for both phases.

Keywords: CFD; Displacement ventilation; Experimental setup; Expiratory droplets; Large eddy simulation.