Study of airflow and particles distribution in surgical rooms with turbulent air supply systems using numerical simulation

• Grant number: 06/03417-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: September 01, 2006
• End date: August 31, 2007
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Mechanical Engineering
• Principal Investigator: Arlindo Tribess
• Grantee: Israel Belletti Mutt Urasaki
• Host Institution: Escola Politécnica (EP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The hospital infections represent an important problem of public health, due to larger mortality, increase in the time of internment, larger suffering for the patients and considerable expenses. While the world average index of hospital infection is of 10%, Brazil presents percentile of 15,5% among the interned patients. One of the main factors that have been taking to this elevated index are the inadequate conditions of air movement and particles distribution in the surgical rooms, that facilitate the contamination for airborne particles. Like this, the present work intends to accomplish a study of numerical simulation for evaluation of the airflow and distribution of particles in surgical rooms with turbulent air supply systems. Initially studies of generation of meshes will be accomplished (tutorial), using ICEM program, and of the use of the computational fluid dynamics code, Fluent. Soon afterwards meshes will be generated, considering the geometries and other conditions of the surgical rooms, for accomplishment of studies of mesh independence and simulation in the obtaining of fields of temperatures and of velocities and of distribution of particles. Finally, numerical results will be compared with experimental results for analysis of the correct simulation process. The present work will be developed concomitantly with the work of doctorate research in " Systems of treatment of air in surgical rooms: Study of the distribution of particles in the airborne contamination” (Fapesp Grant 2004/01247-0). (AU)