Airflow performance modeling in mobile operating rooms

Mobile operating room is one of fundamental components of many counties’ mobile military hospitals. They are designated for operations in worldwide climate range, in military missions, natural disasters, but also as a temporary suit to fixed city hospitals. Operating room is usually built in a foldable container. For the matter of microclimate design, it is specific for its very low height ceiling (~ 2.1 m), walls with low thermal capacity, mobility and significant internal heat sources. Currently there is lack of sufficient knowledge for technical solution of microclimate in mobile operating room. Dissertation analyzes current state i.e. airflow performance of actual air distribution in mobile operating room of field military hospital of Czech Armed Forces; in regard to thermal comfort and air quality. Further a perspective air distribution strategy was proposed and analyzed in terms of air quality and thermal comfort. In The submitted work summarizes fundamental information of requirements to indoor environment parameters, arrangement of interior, influence of outdoor climate, demands for mobility of the room etc. Further a thorough review of state-of-the-art air distribution in operating rooms and their evaluation methods were conducted. Field experiments were used for assessment of current air distribution strategy in regard to thermal comfort parameters and air quality (VDI 2167). Analysis of air quality showed poor performance of current air distribution in regard to protection of surgical site against air contamination. Energy modeling tool was employed for determination of thermal boundary conditions in mobile operating room, i.e. surfaces of indoor heat sources, internal walls, and particular heat fluxes. Conclusions of field experiments and energy modeling indicate possible limitations of current calculation practice leading to underestimation of energy demand for such facility. Three-dimensional models of mobile operating room were created. Comparison of standard k-¿ and k-¿ SST turbulence model was carried and the better performing model in predictions of airflow in mobile operating rooms chosen. Eight specific variants of numerical model boundary conditions were defined in order to analyze some of the parameters influencing performance of airflow. Among the parameters evaluated were: supplied airflow velocity, size of supply air diffuser, heat flux though external walls in hot and cold climate, etc