Assessment of the performance of airflow in an operating rooms using ceiling supply and sidewall inlet systems

Abstract

Poor air quality arises by and large from inadequate ventilation and presence of contaminants. In particular to hospital environments, it exercises direct and significant influence over infections occurrence. The purpose of this paper is to research, through computational fluid dynamics, how ceiling (four-way supply) and sidewall (conventional high supply) inlets systems, as well as outlet (exhaust) positioning, effect air motion and distribution in operating rooms. By the assistance of numerical modeling, four alternative scenarios of a operating room were investigated, maintaining flow rates and varying inlet system and outlet position. The results are presented in terms of velocity vectors and temperatures, which were compared to the experimental data available. Subsequently, a qualitative analysis regarding conformity to sanitary requirements was conducted.

Influence of the Built Environment on Airflow, Contamination, and Infection in the Operating Room: A Systematic Literature Review

“…Of the 86 total articles investigating OR ventilation, 30 used modeling approaches to investigate the effects of HVAC components on the built environment. 31,41,[128][129][130][131][132][133][134][135][136][137]64,[138][139][140][141][142][143][144][145][146][147][121][122][123][124][125][126][127] Twenty-seven of those 30 articles utilized computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling. The numerical parameters in CFD models are often validated to some degree via small-scale or simplified experimental setups, or using previously published measurements.…”

“…122,141 One study showed that when both floor and ceiling exhaust vents are implemented, particle counts near the operating table decrease, 139 while another study warned that four-way suppliers (ceiling, walls, and floor exhaust) could increase air velocity near the floor, which could lift settled particles off of the floor and re-introduce them into the sterile area. 140 Another study reported that eight exhaust vents distributed between the four corners of the OR resulted in improved air distribution and minimized particle dispersion, as compared to an OR with four exhaust grilles divided between two corners. 132 One study compared a legacy (unidirectional) HVAC system with a layout containing ceiling exhaust vents and another layout with extra ceiling diffusers outside of the sterile zone but no ceiling exhaust.…”

“…Of the 86 total articles investigating OR ventilation, 30 used modeling approaches to investigate the effects of HVAC components on the built environment. 31,41,[128][129][130][131][132][133][134][135][136][137]64,[138][139][140][141][142][143][144][145][146][147][121][122][123][124][125][126][127] Twenty-seven of those 30 articles utilized computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling. 31,41,[128][129][130][131][132][133][134][135][136][137]64,[138][139][140][141][142]…”

“…31,41,[128][129][130][131][132][133][134][135][136][137]64,[138][139][140][141][142][143][144][145][146][147][121][122][123][124][125][126][127] Twenty-seven of those 30 articles utilized computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling. 31,41,[128][129][130][131][132][133][134][135][136][137]64,[138][139][140][141][142][143][144]…”

Thermal comfort and indoor air quality in hospitals in the subtropics: Analysis of operating rooms and waiting rooms conditions

“…Patients in well-controlled environments generally show faster physical improvement than those in poorly controlled environments. 1 Da Silva 5,6 and Baracat et al 5 highlighted that several factors, including air movement and distribution, temperature, humidity and pressure, could influence the ventilation system in operating rooms. One crucial aspect is controlling the air movement inside the rooms, as the air must flow from cleaner zones to the more contaminated or polluted zones.…”