Model-based investigation of a novel decontamination technology: Ultrasound assisted aerosolized hydrogen peroxide

Abstract

This work investigates the feasibility of a novel decontamination technology that employs ultrasonic acoustic streaming to improve aerosol distribution inside isolator chambers. For this purpose, a numerical model consisting of three simulations (i) acoustic pressure, (ii) fluid flow, and (iii) particle tracing, is developed. Acoustic air streaming is examined for ultrasound source pressure levels between 131 and 136 dB. Maximum streaming velocity reached values of the order 10−3 and 10−2m/s which agrees with previous experimental and numerical investigations. The effect of air velocity field on the deposition of the decontamination agent on the isolator floor was assessed for aerosol with droplet diameter between 10 and 20μm. The results show that a more homogeneous distribution of deposited droplets is obtained with configurations that have sound sources placed at a distance from each other. Designs with a homogeneous aerosol deposition are expected to have a better decontamination outcome.