Sensors and exposition analyses for aerosol transport in dynamic situations

• Applicants: Professor Dr.-Ing. Christoph Egbers; Professor Dr.-Ing. Uwe Hampel; Professor Dr. Andreas Schröder
• Subject Area: Fluid Mechanics ; Measurement Systems
• Term: from 2021 to 2024
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 469048625

Within the planned project a novel methodology to study aerosol transport in highly dynamic situations involving many people shall be developed and applied. WG Hampel develops and deploys a new mobile counting device for Helium soap bubbles which can be carried by test persons and which counts small Helium bubbles emitted by a mobile bubble generator simulating spreader. The sensor is inexpensive, robust and remotely operated. It bases on a light-optical camera technique. Different experimental studies investigating situations in classrooms, in narrow corridors, group dynamics indoors and outdoors, installation of air purifiers in a class or seminar room as well as window opening ventilation scenarios will be carried out. We study the effective particle inhalation using the mobile sensors together with the macroscopic 3D particle transport in the room using the experimental Shake-the-Box Lagrangian particle tracking concept of WG Schröder and WG Egbers. The new experimental concept allows to study the effectiveness of protective measures such as masks, distance and ventilation with regard to the risk of infection to be assessed in realistic settings and enables in particular the future investigation of scenarios in public spaces, such as schools, public transport, cultural events, restaurants or sports facilities.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants