Sit In Open Restaurants, Avoid AC Rooms: Simulations Reveal How AC Spreads COVID-19

COVID-19 has surely complicated our lives. Even though we have vaccines for the novel coronavirus rolling out in most nations around the world, researchers are still striving hard to understand how virus transmission takes place to make indoor spaces safe for all.

Reuters

And now, researchers have harnessed the use of advanced simulations to better understand how aerosols spread in an air-conditioned environment -- specifically a restaurant.

Study (published in Physics of Fluids) researcher Jiarong Hong and his colleagues from the University of Minnesota in the US used advanced simulation methods to capture the complex flows that occur when the cold airflow from conditioners comes in contact with the aerosol droplets at a dining table while the extent of transmission of novel-coronavirus loaded particles.

Hong explained, "Our simulation captures various physical factors, including turbulent airflow, thermal effect, aerosol transport in turbulence, limited filtration efficiency of air conditioners, as well as the complex geometry of the space, all of which play a role in airborne transmission."

Now you might be wondering that there have been several computer simulations surrounding the airborne transmission of SARS CoV-2, however, this particularly looks for a link in the prediction of high-fidelity computational fluid dynamics simulation with actual outbreak of infections as reported with the help of contact tracing.

Hong added, "It was enabled by advanced computational tools used in our simulation, which can capture the complex flows and aerosol transport and other multiphysics factors involved in a realistic setting."

The result shed light on an eye-opening link between regions of high aerosol exposure index and the infection patterns which were reported in the restaurant.

Highlighting the aerosol path that was often ignored

Moreover, looking at the flow structure analysis highlighted potential routes of transmission that were otherwise ignored -- aerosols beneath the table and chances of re-entry of aerosols due to limited filtration by the air conditioner.

File Photo

Hong concluded stating, "Our work highlights the need for more preventive measures, such as shielding more properly underneath the table and improving the filtration efficiency of air conditioner. More importantly, our research demonstrates the capability and value of high-fidelity computer simulation tools for airborne infection risk assessment and the development of effective preventive measures."