Flow dynamics and characterization of a cough

Abstract

There is a clear need for the scientific community to accurately predict and control the transmission of airborne diseases. Transportation of airborne viruses is often predicted using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations. CFD simulations are inexpensive but need accurate source boundary conditions for the precise prediction of disease transmission. Cough is found to be the prime source for generating infectious viruses. The present study was designed to develop an accurate source model to define thermo-fluid boundary conditions for a cough. The model can aid in accurately predicting the disease transmission in various indoor environments, such as aircraft cabins, office spaces and hospitals.