Modelling Ozone Disinfection to Prevent Covid-19 Transmission

ABSTRACT

A modelling approach is proposed to study ozone distribution and destruction in indoor spaces. The level of ozone gas concentration in the air, confined within an indoor space during an ozone-based disinfection process, was modelled. The emission and removal of ozone from the air volume were carried out using a generator located in the middle of the room. The computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model proposed accounts for ozone generation and decay kinetics, and buoyancy variations in the airflow. This framework was validated against experimental measurements at different locations in the room during the disinfection cycle. The model was then applied to a more challenging environment and demonstrated the suitability of ozone circulation as a disinfection process. The study also highlights the need for a well-controlled ozone removal process. © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.