Transmission characteristics of respiratory droplets aerosol in indoor environment: an experimental study. Issue 8 (3rd August 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Li, Yanju; Wu, Chunbin; Cao, Guoqing; Guan, Dexing; Zhan, Chaoguo
• Is Part Of: International journal of environmental health research. Volume 32:Issue 8(2022)
• Page Start: 1768
• Page End: 1779
• Publication Date: 2022-08-03
• Subjects: Viable droplet -- human respiratory -- transmission -- droplet size distribution -- air change rate -- initial generated velocity; Environmental health -- Periodicals; 363.7
• DOI: 10.1080/09603123.2021.1910629
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0960-3123

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Transmission of droplets has been recognized as an important form of infection for the respiratory diseases. This study investigated the distribution of human respiratory droplets and assessed the effects of air change rate and generated velocity on droplet transmission using an active agent in an enclosed chamber (46 m 3 ). Results revealed that the higher the air change rate was, the fewer viable droplets were detected in the range of <3.3 μm with ventilation; an increased air change rate can increase the attenuation of droplet aerosol. Without ventilation, the viable droplet size was observed to mainly distribute greater than 3.3 μm, which occupied up 87.5% of the total number. When the generated velocity was increased to 20 m/s, 29.38% of the viable droplets were detected at the position of 2.0 m. The findings are excepted to be useful for developing the technology of reducing droplet propagation and providing data verification for simulation research.