COVID-19 dispersion in naturally-ventilated classrooms: a study on inlet-outlet characteristics

Infectious aerosol dispersion poses significant infection risks (i.e., COVID-19) in classrooms due to dense and long occupancy. Natural ventilation is an effective strategy reduce airborne transmission. The building-related parameters, particularly openings, determine the natural effectiveness reducing contaminant dispersion, necessitating inquiry complex airflow patterns. This paper investigates correlation between window height, ventilation, COVID-19 dispersion. A simulation pipeline involving a parametric 3D design environment, computational fluid dynamics (CFD), energy simulations developed implemented on nine scenarios representing different inlet-outlet heights of free-running (no heating, cooling or mechanical ventilation) classroom. inlet height difference have considerable impact indoor risk confirming that stack Bernoulli effect decrease concentration. Proximity openings does not ensure lower contamination levels. result higher