Effect of multiple air cleaner operation on indoor air quality in a four-bed hospital ward

Abstract

The worldwide spread of COVID-19 viruses induced many people to pay attention to indoor air quality. In this study, multiple air cleaners were installed in a four-bed ward equipped with a ventilation system to enhance indoor air quality by finding optimal air cleaner operation combinations. The age of air was used as an index to assess indoor air quality. The age of air distribution in the room was obtained through particle number concentration measurement experiment and flow simulation. The cases of operating multiple air cleaners were considered depending on whether the ventilation system and curtains were used. When two air cleaners were operated, their effects were identified by varying their positions. When only two air cleaners were used, the local age of air significantly varied by 18.3 % at maximum depending on the combination of operating positions. When all four air cleaners were operated, the age of air was lowered by 51.1 % at maximum compared to the cases of operating two air cleaners, regardless of operating the ventilation system and using the curtains. The results of this study are expected to be used for determining the optimal operating positions to improve indoor air quality when using multiple air cleaners in various indoor spaces.