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Impact of HVAC-Systems on the Dispersion of Infectious Aerosols in a Cardiac Intensive Care Unit

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  • Larisa Anghel

    (Internal Medicine Department, Grigore T. Popa University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700503 Iași, Romania
    Cardiology Department, Cardiovascular Diseases Institute, Prof. Dr. George I.M. Georgescu, 700503 Iași, Romania)

  • Cătălin-George Popovici

    (Building Services Department, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Building Services, Gheorghe Asachi Technical University, 700050 Iaşi, Romania)

  • Cristian Stătescu

    (Internal Medicine Department, Grigore T. Popa University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700503 Iași, Romania
    Cardiology Department, Cardiovascular Diseases Institute, Prof. Dr. George I.M. Georgescu, 700503 Iași, Romania)

  • Radu Sascău

    (Internal Medicine Department, Grigore T. Popa University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700503 Iași, Romania
    Cardiology Department, Cardiovascular Diseases Institute, Prof. Dr. George I.M. Georgescu, 700503 Iași, Romania)

  • Marina Verdeș

    (Building Services Department, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Building Services, Gheorghe Asachi Technical University, 700050 Iaşi, Romania)

  • Vasilică Ciocan

    (Building Services Department, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Building Services, Gheorghe Asachi Technical University, 700050 Iaşi, Romania)

  • Ionela-Lăcrămioara Șerban

    (Physiology Department, Grigore T. Popa University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700503 Iași, Romania)

  • Minela Aida Mărănducă

    (Physiology Department, Grigore T. Popa University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700503 Iași, Romania)

  • Sebastian-Valeriu Hudișteanu

    (Building Services Department, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Building Services, Gheorghe Asachi Technical University, 700050 Iaşi, Romania)

  • Florin-Emilian Țurcanu

    (Building Services Department, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Building Services, Gheorghe Asachi Technical University, 700050 Iaşi, Romania)

Abstract

At the end of 2019, a variation of a coronavirus, named SARS-CoV-2, has been identified as being responsible for a respiratory illness disease (COVID-19). Since ventilation is an important factor that influences airborne transmission, we proposed to study the impact of heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) with a variable air volume (VAV) primary air system, on the dispersion of infectious aerosols, in a cardiac intensive care unit, using a transient simulation with computational fluid dynamics (CFD), based on the finite element method (FEM). We analyzed three scenarios that followed the dispersion of pathogen carrying expiratory droplets particles from coughing, from patients possibly infected with COVID-19, depending on the location of the patients in the intensive care unit. Our study provides the mechanism for spread of infectious aerosols, and possibly of COVID-19 infection, by air conditioning systems and also highlights important recommendations for disease control and optimization of ventilation in intensive care units, by increasing the use of outdoor air and the rate of air change, decreasing the recirculation of air and using high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters. The CFD-FEM simulation approach that was applied in our study could also be extended to other targets, such as public transport, theaters, philharmonics and amphitheaters from educational units.

Suggested Citation

  • Larisa Anghel & Cătălin-George Popovici & Cristian Stătescu & Radu Sascău & Marina Verdeș & Vasilică Ciocan & Ionela-Lăcrămioara Șerban & Minela Aida Mărănducă & Sebastian-Valeriu Hudișteanu & Florin-, 2020. "Impact of HVAC-Systems on the Dispersion of Infectious Aerosols in a Cardiac Intensive Care Unit," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(18), pages 1-17, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:18:p:6582-:d:411289
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Leonardo Setti & Fabrizio Passarini & Gianluigi De Gennaro & Pierluigi Barbieri & Maria Grazia Perrone & Massimo Borelli & Jolanda Palmisani & Alessia Di Gilio & Prisco Piscitelli & Alessandro Miani, 2020. "Airborne Transmission Route of COVID-19: Why 2 Meters/6 Feet of Inter-Personal Distance Could Not Be Enough," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(8), pages 1-6, April.
    2. Xiaolei Gao & Jianjian Wei & Hao Lei & Pengcheng Xu & Benjamin J Cowling & Yuguo Li, 2016. "Building Ventilation as an Effective Disease Intervention Strategy in a Dense Indoor Contact Network in an Ideal City," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(9), pages 1-20, September.
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    Cited by:

    1. Guillermo Efren Ovando-Chacon & Abelardo Rodríguez-León & Sandy Luz Ovando-Chacon & Martín Hernández-Ordoñez & Mario Díaz-González & Felipe de Jesús Pozos-Texon, 2022. "Computational Study of Thermal Comfort and Reduction of CO 2 Levels inside a Classroom," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(5), pages 1-22, March.

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