Suppressing Spread of Viral Sneeze Droplets Using Transparent Curtains in Large Food Processing Facilities

SUNIL KUMAR, Maria King, David Klassen, Texas A&M University

     Abstract Number: 529
     Working Group: Control and Mitigation Technology

Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the world health system infrastructure. The fast spread of the virus compelled countries to impose lockdown, restrict movement of people, limit the industrial production, supply chains to control the spread of the coronavirus. However, spread of virus caused large population to admit in hospitals requiring moderate to intensive care. The contagious virus was found to be spreading mainly through air compared to other prominent mode of surface deposition. The transport of virus through air specially in indoor environment depends upon the air flow patterns developed in the presence of diffuser and exhaust. The facilities with large number of occupants such as assembly rooms, packaging room, and fabrication room of meat facilities, remain at critically high risk in a conventional Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) setup. The air streams generated from ventilation ports are complex and long, which can transport the virus from one corner of the food processing plant to another corner. In a closed environment of this kind, a single sneeze from an asymptomatic worker can potentially spread the virus droplets to the whole facility and turn it to be a super spreader for community. A safer indoor facility requires effective prevention and removal of contaminated droplets. Therefore, necessary design modifications of air flow patterns are needed to control the spread of virus. The research work presented in this paper evaluates effect of installation of transparent partition between workers. The installation of partitions cutoff the long-range air streamlines capable of transporting virus from one location to another. The partitions prevent spread of virus loaded droplets in local environment of the potential spreader. Study optimizes design of partitions to maximize the containment of droplets. The study is applicable in every industry irrespective of its size and type of work.