1. Project 8: Numerical Simulation of Pandemic Flu Dispersal in Airborne Infection Isolation Rooms (AIIR) Mentor: Urmila Ghia Computational Fluid Dynamics Research Lab (CFDRL) University of Cincinnati Cincinnati, OH 45221 September 2010 - March 2011 Sponsored by: National Science Foundation (NSF) Academic Year - Research Education for Undergraduates (AY-REU) Program & University of Cincinnati

2. AY-REU Students James Sullivan 5 th year, Mechanical Engineering Charles Ebersbacher 2 nd year, Biomedical Engineering

3. MOTIVATION PANDEMIC FLU – FACTS: A flu pandemic occurs when a new influenza virus emerges for which people have little or no immunity, and for which no vaccine is available. The disease spreads easily from person-to-person, causing serious illness. It sweeps across the country, and the world, in a very short time. Health care facilities can be overwhelmed, creating a shortage of hospital staff, beds, ventilators and other supplies. Many states in the U.S have Pandemic Flu response plans. Response plans advocate use of an Airborne Infection Isolation Room (AIIR), such as those used to isolate Tuberculosis (TB) patients. Pandemics Death Toll Since 1900 (As per CDC) 1918 – 1919 U.S.675,000+ Worldwide50,000,000+ 1957 – 1958 U.S.70,000+ Worldwide1 – 2,000,000 1968 – 1969 U.S.34,000+ Worldwide700,000+ ISOLATION ROOMS: Purpose: –To constrain infectious airborne droplets, emanating from the flu- infected patient, to leave the room only through the exhaust vents. Ventilation Configuration: –Air flow carries airborne flu droplets away from the heath care worker (HCW), towards the exhaust of the isolation room.

4. Develop a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model to simulate the flow and dispersal of the Pandemic Flu in an Airborne Infection Isolation Room (AIIR) & a Patient room of a local hospital. Assess the effectiveness of the ventilation controls in an Isolation Room and a Patient Room, operating with real-world conditions. Develop and recommend new ventilation controls which reduce the HCW’s exposure to patient-generated aerosols in an AIIR environment. Assess regular Patient room environment for the HCW’s protection & effectiveness of constraining spread of patient-generated infectious aerosols. OVERALL OBJECTIVES

5. OVERALL METHODOLOGY Obtain a detailed layout of a typical patient room and an AIIR at a local hospital in Cincinnati, including: elements of the existing ventilation (inlet and exhaust vent locations and dimensions), size and positioning of major furniture & equipment that affect air flow distribution. Measure the inlet and exhaust flow parameters (such as flow rate, presence of louvers at inlet and outlet) and room-to-hall pressure differential Re-construct geometric models of Isolation and Patient rooms using measured data. Simulate steady-state air flow in Isolation & Patient rooms. Introduce patient cough - track transient dispersal of cough particles. Conduct comprehensive interrogation of the results through graphical representations, and especially tracking the airborne infection droplets emanating from patient. Use the results obtained to guide and recommend alternate ventilation arrangements.

6. OBJECTIVES OF PRESENT STUDY Investigate dispersal of cough droplets of the following sizes, in the Isolation room and in the regular patient room: 1.Respirable aerosol (under 1-5 microns), 2.Heavier aerosol (5-100 microns), and 3.Large aerosol (larger than 100-microns, essentially, liquid droplets)

7. EXPECTED OUTCOMES OF PRESENT STUDY Compare difference in dispersal of particles of various sizes in existing flow field in the Isolation room and in the regular Patient room. Use results to recommend ventilation arrangements that will effectively contain dispersal/spreading of cough droplets within the room.