Spatial analysis of the impact of UVGI technology in occupied rooms using ray-tracing simulation

The use of Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation (UVGI) devices in the upper zones of occupied buildings has gained increased attention as one of the most effective mitigation technologies for the transmission of COVID-19. To ensure safe and effective use of upper-room UVGI, it is necessary to devise a simulation technique that enables engineers, designers, and users to explore the impact of different design and operational parameters. We have developed a simulation technique for calculating UV-C fluence rate within the volume of the upper zone and planar irradiance in the lower occupied zone. Our method is based on established ray-tracing light simulation methods adapted to the UV-C wavelength range. We have included a case study of a typical hospital patient room. In it, we explored the impact of several design parameters: ceiling height, device location, room configuration, proportions, and surface materials. We present a spatially mapped parametric study of the UV-C irradiance distribution in three dimensions. We found that the ceiling height and mounting height of the UVGI fixtures combined can cause the largest variation (up to 22%) in upper zone fluence rate. One of the most important findings of this study is that it is crucial to consider interreflections in the room. This is because surface reflectance is the design parameter with the largest impact on the occupant exposure in the lower zone: Applying materials with high reflectance ratio in the upper portion of the room has the highest negative impact (over 700% variation) on increasing hot spots that may receive over 6 mJ/cm² UV dose in the lower occupied zone.