We were invited to help out makers and researchers at MIT's Center for Bits and Atoms via their collaboration with 3DXPERIENCE Lab and SOLIDWORKS through a connect made by @AB While the core MIT team led by Dr. Neil Gershenfeld expanded to include makers, fabrication experts and medical specialists working on new directions around N-95 Masks, CPAP designs and Ventilators, SIMULIA team extended our support and expertise to the group.
Sneezing and coughing are some ways pathogens, including COVID-19, spread. To better understand the effectiveness of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) that is being developed and deployed we have developed a computational simulation based on SIMULIA PowerFLOW of a human sneeze. The sneeze event is based on published data including gas velocity as a function of time exiting the mouth as well as droplet particle size and distribution. The result is a realistic model of a sneeze event.
The attached video shows how the turbulent jet helps distribute the mucus particles through the air. The video also highlights the surfaces of the shielded individual that are being contaminated with a red/purple color.
The simulation also suggests small particles are entrained behind the shield coming into close proximity of the shielded individual. These simulations can provide valuable insight into the flow physics of sneezes which can be used to aid in making decisions about PPE. The simulations are computationally efficient allowing for rapid exploration of design space that could include shield length, width, the distance between individuals, for example.
