Numerical analysis and control of contaminant leakage during personnel movement across differential pressure zones

Abstract

Artificial pressure differential environments play a vital role in various fields, including healthcare, industrial applications, and laboratory safety. Despite numerous studies conducted in this area, contaminant leakage due to personnel movement across pressure zones remains a significant challenge, increasing the risk of infection or contamination. This study aims to systematically analyze and control contaminant particle leakage during such movements, using numerical simulations and field experiments that incorporate the moving mesh method. This study investigates the effects of pressure gradients, door types, and temperature differences on particle migration. The results indicate that maintaining a pressure gradient can reduce particle leakage by up to 35.33 %. Sliding doors proved more effective than hinged doors, reducing leakage by up to 74.36 %. Introducing a temperature difference between areas also decreased leakage by up to 64.9 %. These findings provide practical recommendations for optimizing the design of negative-pressure isolation wards and can be extended to other environments that maintain differential pressure. This study offers valuable insights into the control of contaminant leakage, contributing to improved indoor air quality and infection control.