Experimental characterization of droplet emission by turbulent puffs
The COVID-19 pandemic showed the disrupting potential of viruses, which can rapidly and ubiquitously spread among a vast portion of the population leading to tragic medical, social, and economic consequences. Airborne transmission by contagious droplets can be a primary way of infection. Yet, the risk estimation relies on fluid dynamics models, which are only partially validated.
At our lab, we have developed a Respiratory Droplet Simulator that can precisely and repetitively mimic turbulent puffs and droplet emission from human subjects. The RDS paves the way to analyse the droplet spread at different time and spatial scales, also by means of different measurement techniques. For example, Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) or 3D Particle Tracing Velocimetry (3D-PTV) can be used to quantify the characteristics of the flow field at for various respiratory activities in indoor environments. Shadowgraphy can be used to quantify droplet sizes and velocity at different locations in the domain to obtain relevant statistical information on droplet spread and evaporation.
