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Two-dimensional mathematical framework for evaporation dynamics of respiratory droplets
Sreeparna Majee1, Abhishek Saha2, Swetaprovo Chaudhuri3
1Department of Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560012, India.
Physics of Fluids (Woodbury, N.Y. : 1994)
|November 8, 2021
Summary
This study models airborne respiratory droplets, detailing their aerodynamics and heat/mass transfer. The findings help predict droplet evaporation times and travel distances globally for disease transmission insights.
Area of Science:
- Fluid Dynamics
- Aerosol Science
- Thermodynamics
Background:
- Respiratory bio-aerosols are a primary transmission route for diseases during pandemics.
- Airborne droplets contain pathogens and complex substances, undergoing thermo-physical processes.
- Droplet dynamics involve boundary layers, wakes, internal circulation, and Stefan flow.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a mathematical model for coupled subprocesses of airborne respiratory droplets.
- To analyze droplet aerodynamics, heat, and mass transfer.
- To compute evaporation times and travel distances globally.
Main Methods:
- A two-dimensional mathematical model was developed and solved.
- The model couples gas and liquid phases for droplet kinetics.
- Transient temperature and concentration distributions within droplets were analyzed.
Main Results:
- The model captures complex droplet dynamics, including internal circulation and Stefan flow.
- Evaporation time and travel distance were computed for various global locations.
- The study provides a comprehensive analysis of airborne droplet behavior.
Conclusions:
- The presented model accurately describes airborne droplet kinetics.
- It enables prediction of evaporation timescales for viral or bacterial droplets worldwide.
- This research aids in understanding and mitigating airborne disease transmission.
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