A novel procedure for validation of flow simulations in operating theaters

Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems must be specifically designed for operating theaters in hospitals in order to reduce the risk of infections and maintain adequate thermo-hygrometric conditions. New design procedures of operating theaters can benefit from the results obtained by properly validated computational fluid dynamic (CFD) models. In fact, CFD models allow obtaining local information inside the room without carrying out complex experiments, with consequent reduction of the costs required for testing ventilation systems. In this work, a novel procedure for validation of numerical simulations of airflow distribution in actual operating theaters is presented. The authors designed and carried out an experimental campaign in a new operating theater to measure airflow distribution near the surgical site and validate a novel numerical model with specific reference to the inlet flow conditions. The results prove that the present approach is essential to reproduce the actual flow conditions inside operating theatres and clearly shows the influence of flow boundary conditions on the numerical solution of air velocity in the room.