Numerical Simulation of Particle Dispersion in an Operating Room: Assessment using Horizontal Air Supply Diffuser

-mounted air supply diffusers in reducing BCPs. This paper aims to investigate the efficacy of both vertical downward (default) and horizontal air supply diffusers in mitigating BCPs within the surgical zone. By utilizing a renormalization group (RNG) k-􀄰􀀃 airflow model, the air distribution within the OR was simulated, while the transportation of particles was predicted utilising a Lagrangian technique. Five cases were analyzed, including the vertical air supply diffuser as the baseline case, two-sided wall-mounted diffuser on xy plane (case 2), single-sided wall-mounted diffuser on yz plane (case 3), and single-sided wall-mounted diffuser on xy plane (case 4). The findings indicate that the airflow supplied by all wall-mounted diffusers (case 1 – case 4) failed to minimise the number of particles within the surgical region. However, there was a notable increase in particle settlement on the patient. In cases 1, 2, 3, and 4, the particles adhere on the patient's body surface intensified by 8.5-fold, 2-fold, 13-fold, and 15.5-fold respectively.