Protective local downward ventilation in hospital isolation rooms

Le résumé fourni par la source

Ventilation and supply air distribution play an important role in reducing exposure to airborne pathogens in hospital isolation rooms. Effective supply air distribution should dilute high concentrations readily close to the source and direct them away from the breathing zone of the occupants. In this study a healthcare worker (HCW) exposure to patient exhaled airborne contaminants was assessed with a typical total volume mixing ventilation (MV) and with a local downward ventilation (LDV) above the patient bed. The experiments were carried out in a full-scale isolation room mock-up with breathing thermal manikins simulating the HCW and the patient. Smoke visualisations and air speed measurements show that LDV increases air movement and enables more effective flushing of the patient's upper body compared to MV. Tracer gas measurements show that several factors, like HCW location, air exchange rate, and occupant movement, affect the HCW exposure and that LDV can reduce the exposure notably compared to MV, at least near the patient. Additionally, thermal comfort measurements indicate that LDV can produce adequate thermal conditions for the patient. These findings can be utilised when designing better ventilation solutions for hospital isolation and patient room environments.

Ce résumé expose les affirmations des auteurs. BNTIC ne l’interprète pas comme une validation indépendante des résultats.