Abstract
Room air distribution in hospital operating rooms (OR) is critical to the effective functioning of surgical procedures, but the air distribution patterns are governed by complex physics that are currently not well understood. Both qualitative and quantitative flow visualization techniques were used to evaluate the room air distribution in a full-scale chamber designed to simulate a hospital operating room. A laser sheet illumination technique was used to identify key features of the room air distribution, and particle image velocimetry (PIV) was used to measure the velocity field in a plane crossing the surgical site. Hospital operating rooms require the use of ASHRAE Group E diffusers in an array above the surgical table, providing downward, unidirectional, non-aspirating air flow across the sterile region of the room. The supply air jet is characterized by complex physics, including annular shape, impingement, buoyancy, a large jet to room aspect ratio, and recirculation. The large diameter of the jet relative to the room size makes the overall room air distribution highly sensitive to the parameters of the supply air. The air distribution pattern in the room was found to have relatively low velocity and turbulence near the supply air diffuser, but increasing velocity and turbulence in the shear region at the edge of the supply air jet. Flow visualization and PIV methods both demonstrated an angle of the shear layer inwards towards the center of the jet. This flow feature reduces the overall coverage area for the sterile air flow and may pose a risk to the protection of the surgical patient.
Highlights
Hospital operating rooms (OR) have unique requirements for indoor environment design, including sterile air flow for infection control, the ability to provide large cooling loads for handling heat gains from medical equipment, and achieving thermal comfort for varying activity levels and levels of dress
Room air distribution in hospital operating rooms (OR) is critical to the effective functioning of surgical procedures, but the air distribution patterns are governed by complex physics that are currently not well understood
It has been nearly impossible for heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) engineers to meet all of the diverse requirements that are necessary to the optimal functioning of the operating room
Summary
Hospital operating rooms (OR) have unique requirements for indoor environment design, including sterile air flow for infection control, the ability to provide large cooling loads for handling heat gains from medical equipment, and achieving thermal comfort for varying activity levels and levels of dress. The consequences of poor ventilation design in operating rooms can be very severe, leading to higher infection rates among patients and reducing the performance of the surgical staff. The proper design of hospital operating room ventilation systems is critical to both the comfort of the surgical staff, and more importantly to the health of occupants and outcomes of surgical procedures. The types of occupants range from anesthetized patients to heavily dressed surgeons with lead vests for x-ray protection. It has been nearly impossible for heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) engineers to meet all of the diverse requirements that are necessary to the optimal functioning of the operating room.
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