Air flow simulation is used to analyze propagation of air molecules and other particulate matter in a confined space. Coupled with the details about biologically active substances, this work helps build predictive models for the spread of viral infections, which are transmitter through the air.
Our interest is prompted by the recent development around COVID, the kind of viral infection that is transmitted by means of airflow. The study that we are proposing will help account for the likely causes of pathogens transfer from person to person. It will demonstrate the connection between pathogen lifetime in the air, available means of personal protection, and interactively suggest the most appropriate arrangement of people in public places.
This study will use numerical methods and fluid dynamics of airflow in non-uniform morphing environments. Existing and novel methods for solving partial differential equations will be used and applied to devise efficient models for real-time simulation on consumer-grade computing devices. Interactive visualizations will be used for analysis of such models, will assist in finding the optimal configurations, and further advise on the guidelines during quarantine measures.
Examples of enclosed public areas where prolonged contact between people takes place are the following:
1. Offices and workshops with industrial ventilation systems.
2. Auditoriums and meeting rooms.
3. Public transit and transportation systems.
These areas are designed with pathways for air filtration and delivery by HVAC systems. Air is usually supplied via a set of ducts, it passes through the occupied space, and exists through a different set of ducts. There is an inherent imbalance of airflow with this arrangement. Air ducts that are too big or too small will allow for uneven airflow.
On the other hand, pathogens have limited lifetimes, which depend on the temperature and humidity of air at a particular location and particular moment in time along the path of spreading. Pathogen circulation is linked to airflow.
Different configurations of public places involve calculating the most applicable air filtration and circulation hardware. These are not trivial tasks, and many such systems are not designed to control and mitigate effects of viral pandemic.
Taking into account all these factors, and considering that analytically solving multiple partial differential equations is a challenging task, we propose a numerical approach. Having spent a number of years researching into the subject of fluid dynamics, then having developed high performance software that directly interfaces with parallelized cores of CPU and GPU, our knowledge in this area will be crucial for conducting the research and delivering a solution.
About myself.
A graduate student at the University of Washington studying Applied Mathematics, will pursue a post doctorate degree. Having graduated with prior masters degrees in Computer Science and Electronics Engineering. My research is predominantly focused in applied mathematics, computational fluid dynamics, and machine learning.
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