Indoor Airflow Dynamics in Compartmentalized Pneumology Units Equipped with Variable-Thickness MERV-13 Filters

Infection containment in the post-pandemic scenario became a top priority for healthcare engineering control staffers, especially pneumology sectors, where treatment of airborne infectious diseases is frequent. In Brazil, COVID-19 left long record casualties, there lack information on influence filtration systems maintenance regulated operational conditions indoor comfort hospital environments. This paper has following objectives: to study arrangements filtering acclimatization ducts; verify how characteristics could compromise safety regulations airflow environments; and identify stagnation points that might favor suspended viral concentrations increase contamination risks. We used computational fluid dynamics STAR-CCM+© software perform numerical simulations different cases model corresponding sector Lauro Wanderley University Hospital (João Pessoa city, Brazil). concluded standards maximum velocity are reachable despite thinner or thicker filters affecting spread air. this way, limited by tradeoff between regulation protection. Our findings relevant future technological development, interventions, strategies amidst scenarios, new