Analyzing the effectiveness of air curtain in reducing particulate matter generated by human-induced slipstream

Abstract

Air curtains are frequently used as separation barriers to reduce the transfer of dust, heat, and smoke between two areas. When people travel from one location to another, they bring dust and airflow with them, known as slipstream. To limit the spread of toxins inside any indoor environment, it is critical to understand the human-induced slipstream. The usefulness of air curtains in preventing human-induced slipstream movement is investigated in this study. We also used an air curtain to monitor airflow, dust flow, and particulate matter transfer from a contaminated zone to a cleaner zone in the chamber. A dust sensor and a particulate matter sensor were used to assess real-time monitoring of dust and PM2.5,10 particles created, as well as the human-induced slipstream. The experiment was performed at a different position (horizontal, vertical, wedge) of the air curtain unit (ACU) and different vane angles (10°−15°, 15°−30°, 30°−45°) with the human walking and without as well. The maximum efficiency for horizontal was 47% at 30°− 45°, for wedge position, it was 74% at 15°− 30°, and for the vertical, it was 81.4% at 30°− 45° angles. Maximum efficiency was found at 81.4% with vertical direction at 30°− 45°. This can help to achieve maximum PM reduction in commercial and public offices.