Abstract View
Assessing Potential Airborne Virus Transmission in University Classrooms
KATHRYN VAN VALKINBURGH, Nigel Kaye, Ehsan Mousavi, Vincent Blouin, Ali Nafchi, Andrew Metcalf, Clemson University
Abstract Number: 481
Working Group: The Role of Aerosol Science in the Understanding of the Spread and Control of COVID-19 and Other Infectious Diseases
Abstract
As a result of the coronavirus outbreak, many educational institutions and universities have faced questions and uncertainties concerning the safety of hosting on-campus, in-person classes. Airborne transmission is a major concern for many infectious pathogens, including the novel coronavirus. Even with sufficient social distancing and surface disinfection measures taken, there is still risk of exposure through airborne transmission. Ventilation is the principle engineering method used to control airborne health hazards. In a classroom setting, the design of the ventilation system will affect factors such as the direction of airflow throughout the room, the rate of air exchange, and the exhaust point or recirculation pattern. The goal of this study is to evaluate such airborne transmission risk by first examining the ventilation systems of actual classrooms and evaluating the potential for viral transmission between indoor occupants in the same classroom or adjacent rooms in the same building.
This talk will discuss the results of ventilation testing of several different classrooms on Clemson University’s main campus. The classrooms represent a variety of sizes, layouts, building ages, and ventilation types. In each classroom, a particle atomizer was used to release a large number of aerosol particles ranging from 0.2 µm to 10 µm in diameter into the air. Seven different particle counters were placed strategically around each classroom. The particle counters tracked concentration over time to assess how quickly the particles were removed by the ventilation system. The experiment aims to evaluate the personal exposure risk of the various classroom ventilation systems in order to mitigate potential health impacts as it relates to the spreading of a viral pathogen.