Solar energy assisted thermal treatment model to decontaminate airborne viruses in hospital

Abstract

• Thermal treatment model based on porous heating to decontaminate the airborne viruses in hospitals. • Solar parabolic collector and electric heaters are used to heat the infected air to abolish the virus. • An insulated chamber ascertains the requisite exposure period for complete decontamination. • The heat exchanger, storage tanks, and air-cooling system are anticipated for optimal cooling of the high-temperature decontaminated air. The evolution of airborne viruses across the globe has caused many deaths in recent decades. Currently, the world is witnessing the terrible behavior of SARS-CoV-2. The airborne viruses attached to the suspended air particles for a long time and spread rapidly. The dispersal of airborne viruses in the indoor air increases the risk of diseases. The present study endorses a solar-assisted heat treatment model to decontaminate airborne viruses and provide hospitals with disinfected air. A simplified model comprises the heating and cooling sections to abolish airborne viruses and cool the treated air. The heating section includes a solar parabolic trough collector (PTC)/electrical heater, porous domain, and decontamination chamber, while the cooling unit comprises storage tanks and an air cooler. A heat exchanger exchanges energy between hot and cold air streams. A solar PTC offers air heating during day time; however, the porous domain with the electrical heaters acts during the night and intermediate time. The airborne viruses can be abolished by passing through a porous domain and decontaminating chamber at 105 °C upholding an exposure period of 5 mins. The cooling section cools the disinfected air to comfortable conditions. A numerical analysis finds the optimal porosity of 0.9, owing to an exit temperature of 105 °C and a minimal pressure drop of 5.16 kPa. The high-temperature disinfected air leaving the storage tank (ST-2) further cools in an air cooler. Besides, the system’s energy efficiency is noted at 37.4 % and 91.1 % during daytime and nighttime operations, respectively.