Investigating airborne transmission risks: A mathematical model of evaporating droplets with solid residue

Lun Sheng Pan; Fong Yew Leong; Evert Klaseboer; Chang Wei Kang; Yun Ching Wang; Keng Hui Lim; George Xu; Cunlu Zhao; Zhizhao Che; Chinchun Ooi; Zhengwei Ge; Yit Fatt Yap; Hongying Li

doi:10.1063/5.0167175

Investigating airborne transmission risks: A mathematical model of evaporating droplets with solid residue

Lun Sheng Pan, Fong Yew Leong, Evert Klaseboer, Chang Wei Kang, Yun Ching Wang, Keng Hui Lim, George Xu, Cunlu Zhao, Zhizhao Che, Chinchun Ooi, Zhengwei Ge, Yit Fatt Yap, Hongying Li

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2 Scopus citations

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has spotlit the scientific field of fluid dynamics governing airborne transmission through virus-laden mucosal-salivary droplets. In this work, a mathematical model for airborne droplet dispersion and viral transmission centered on evaporating droplets containing solid residue was proposed. Droplet dynamics are influenced by factors such as initial velocity, relative humidity (RH), and solid residue, in agreement with analytical and experimental results. Interestingly, the maximum droplet dispersion distance depends strongly on initial droplet size and RH, such as 0.8-mm-diameter droplet at 0.3 RH, 1.0 mm at 0.6 RH, and 1.75 mm at 0.9 RH, but only weakly on initial projected velocity. Under realistic conditions, an evaporating sputum droplet can cover a dispersion distance at least three times than that of a pure water droplet. Based on Wells falling curves, the critical droplet size, the largest droplet that can remain suspended in air without settling due to gravity, ranges from 120 μm at 0.3 RH to 75 μm at 0.9 RH. Together, our results highlight the role of evaporation on droplet lifetime, dispersion distance, and transmission risks.

Original language	British English
Article number	097129
Journal	Physics of Fluids
Volume	35
Issue number	9
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0167175
State	Published - 1 Sep 2023

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1063/5.0167175

Cite this

@article{93d22ddf48ee418699df37ce844e5d9e,

title = "Investigating airborne transmission risks: A mathematical model of evaporating droplets with solid residue",

abstract = "The COVID-19 pandemic has spotlit the scientific field of fluid dynamics governing airborne transmission through virus-laden mucosal-salivary droplets. In this work, a mathematical model for airborne droplet dispersion and viral transmission centered on evaporating droplets containing solid residue was proposed. Droplet dynamics are influenced by factors such as initial velocity, relative humidity (RH), and solid residue, in agreement with analytical and experimental results. Interestingly, the maximum droplet dispersion distance depends strongly on initial droplet size and RH, such as 0.8-mm-diameter droplet at 0.3 RH, 1.0 mm at 0.6 RH, and 1.75 mm at 0.9 RH, but only weakly on initial projected velocity. Under realistic conditions, an evaporating sputum droplet can cover a dispersion distance at least three times than that of a pure water droplet. Based on Wells falling curves, the critical droplet size, the largest droplet that can remain suspended in air without settling due to gravity, ranges from 120 μm at 0.3 RH to 75 μm at 0.9 RH. Together, our results highlight the role of evaporation on droplet lifetime, dispersion distance, and transmission risks.",

author = "Pan, {Lun Sheng} and Leong, {Fong Yew} and Evert Klaseboer and Kang, {Chang Wei} and Wang, {Yun Ching} and Lim, {Keng Hui} and George Xu and Cunlu Zhao and Zhizhao Che and Chinchun Ooi and Zhengwei Ge and Yap, {Yit Fatt} and Hongying Li",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2023 Author(s).",

year = "2023",

month = sep,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1063/5.0167175",

language = "British English",

volume = "35",

journal = "Physics of Fluids",

issn = "1070-6631",

publisher = "American Institute of Physics",

number = "9",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Investigating airborne transmission risks

T2 - A mathematical model of evaporating droplets with solid residue

AU - Pan, Lun Sheng

AU - Leong, Fong Yew

AU - Klaseboer, Evert

AU - Kang, Chang Wei

AU - Wang, Yun Ching

AU - Lim, Keng Hui

AU - Xu, George

AU - Zhao, Cunlu

AU - Che, Zhizhao

AU - Ooi, Chinchun

AU - Ge, Zhengwei

AU - Yap, Yit Fatt

AU - Li, Hongying

PY - 2023/9/1

Y1 - 2023/9/1

N2 - The COVID-19 pandemic has spotlit the scientific field of fluid dynamics governing airborne transmission through virus-laden mucosal-salivary droplets. In this work, a mathematical model for airborne droplet dispersion and viral transmission centered on evaporating droplets containing solid residue was proposed. Droplet dynamics are influenced by factors such as initial velocity, relative humidity (RH), and solid residue, in agreement with analytical and experimental results. Interestingly, the maximum droplet dispersion distance depends strongly on initial droplet size and RH, such as 0.8-mm-diameter droplet at 0.3 RH, 1.0 mm at 0.6 RH, and 1.75 mm at 0.9 RH, but only weakly on initial projected velocity. Under realistic conditions, an evaporating sputum droplet can cover a dispersion distance at least three times than that of a pure water droplet. Based on Wells falling curves, the critical droplet size, the largest droplet that can remain suspended in air without settling due to gravity, ranges from 120 μm at 0.3 RH to 75 μm at 0.9 RH. Together, our results highlight the role of evaporation on droplet lifetime, dispersion distance, and transmission risks.

AB - The COVID-19 pandemic has spotlit the scientific field of fluid dynamics governing airborne transmission through virus-laden mucosal-salivary droplets. In this work, a mathematical model for airborne droplet dispersion and viral transmission centered on evaporating droplets containing solid residue was proposed. Droplet dynamics are influenced by factors such as initial velocity, relative humidity (RH), and solid residue, in agreement with analytical and experimental results. Interestingly, the maximum droplet dispersion distance depends strongly on initial droplet size and RH, such as 0.8-mm-diameter droplet at 0.3 RH, 1.0 mm at 0.6 RH, and 1.75 mm at 0.9 RH, but only weakly on initial projected velocity. Under realistic conditions, an evaporating sputum droplet can cover a dispersion distance at least three times than that of a pure water droplet. Based on Wells falling curves, the critical droplet size, the largest droplet that can remain suspended in air without settling due to gravity, ranges from 120 μm at 0.3 RH to 75 μm at 0.9 RH. Together, our results highlight the role of evaporation on droplet lifetime, dispersion distance, and transmission risks.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85172884250&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1063/5.0167175

DO - 10.1063/5.0167175

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85172884250

SN - 1070-6631

VL - 35

JO - Physics of Fluids

JF - Physics of Fluids

IS - 9

M1 - 097129

ER -

Investigating airborne transmission risks: A mathematical model of evaporating droplets with solid residue

Abstract

UN SDGs

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this