CFD Helping to Mitigate COVID Transmission

Speaker: Fred Mendonca, OpenCFD Limited
July 15, 2021

Presentation

Abstract

We have the end in sight as we start to move into post-COVID relaxations, hopefully. Let's reflect at this most important event of modern times on how CFD has been able to contribute to a wider understanding of airborne transmission, provide a real impact on prevention and mitigation, and how we can permanently learn lessons on behavior, interactions and ventilation design. The challenge for CFD is to combine validated approaches to several underlying physics (turbulence, multi-species transport, thermodynamics, buoyancy, particle mass momentum and heat transfer) into an ensemble of combined physics in enclosed spaces such as to be meaningful for CFD non-experts. Therefore, we explore complex transient events like coughing and breathing with or without masks, combined with standard air-conditioning or air scrubbing, reducing these to simple assessments of indoor clean-air circulation and aerosol transport. Metrics and measures derived from these analyses have been able to give valuable insights into air quality improvements and mitigation of airborne transmission. We explore several examples in enclosures, including offices and public spaces with indoor/outdoor air exchange, transportation cabins, clean-rooms, and healthcare settings, on which basis to help improve our standard operating procedures for building and ventilation regulations.

Biography

Fred Mendonca is Managing Director of OpenCFD Limited, primary developer and release authority for OpenFOAM. He studied at Imperial College and worked at British Aerospace (now Airbus), as well as with commercial CFD vendors and open-source, in code development, applications, and process.

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