Development and evaluation of a fluidic facemask for airborne transmission mitigation

Area of Science:

• Engineering
• Public Health
• Fluid Dynamics

Background:

• Facemask technology is crucial for mitigating respiratory infections such as COVID-19.
• Existing solutions face challenges with comfort and efficacy against aerosols.
• A fluidic facemask concept offers a novel approach to droplet and aerosol containment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To experimentally investigate the efficacy of the first practical fluidic facemask prototype, the Air-Screen.
• To evaluate the Air-Screen's ability to block airborne droplets and aerosols.
• To develop a mathematical model for understanding the fluid dynamics involved.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a lightweight, wearable prototype with an integrated crossflow fan to generate an air screen.
• Conducted qualitative flow visualization experiments on a mannequin.
• Performed quantitative droplet blocking experiments simulating sneezing and coughing, with and without the Air-Screen active.

Main Results:

• Qualitative tests showed effective blocking of small airborne droplets (∼10⁰ µm).
• Quantitative tests demonstrated 62% blockage of droplets <150 µm.
• With the Air-Screen active on the transmitter, droplet blockage reached 99%; with both transmitter and mannequin active, 99.8% blockage was achieved.

Conclusions:

• The Air-Screen demonstrates significant potential in blocking virus-laden droplets and aerosols.
• The device's lightweight design and high blocking efficiency make it a promising advancement in respiratory protection.
• Further comprehensive experimental evaluation is warranted to optimize and validate the Air-Screen technology.