What is the effect of reducing the air change rate on the ventilation effectiveness in ultra-clean operating rooms?

Journal article (2024)

Authors

J.L.A. Lans Environmental & Climate Design - Architecture and the Built Environment
N.M.C. Mathijssen Reinier de Graaf Gasthuis, Reinier Haga Orthopedic Center
A. Bode Expert / Advisor on Health Care and Construction
J. J. Van Den Dobbelsteen Medical Instruments & Bio-Inspired Technology - Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering
John J. van den Dobbelsteen Medical Instruments & Bio-Inspired Technology - Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering
J. J. van den Dobbelsteen Medical Instruments & Bio-Inspired Technology - Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering
J. van den Dobbelsteen Medical Instruments & Bio-Inspired Technology - Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering
John J. Van Den Dobbelsteen Medical Instruments & Bio-Inspired Technology - Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering
J.J. Van Den Dobbelsteen Medical Instruments & Bio-Inspired Technology - Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering
J.J. van den Dobbelsteen Medical Instruments & Bio-Inspired Technology - Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering
John van den Dobbelsteen Medical Instruments & Bio-Inspired Technology - Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering
J. Van Den Dobbelsteen Medical Instruments & Bio-Inspired Technology - Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering
John Van Den Dobbelsteen Medical Instruments & Bio-Inspired Technology - Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering
M. van der Elst Reinier de Graaf Gasthuis, Medical Instruments & Bio-Inspired Technology - Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering
P Luscuere Environmental & Climate Design - Architecture and the Built Environment
Research Group
Environmental & Climate Design (Architecture and the Built Environment) (TU Delft)
More Info
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Published Date

2024

Language

English

Faculty

Architecture and the Built Environment

Department

Architectural Engineering +Technology

Research Group

Environmental & Climate Design

Abstract

Background
The operating room (OR) department is one of the most energy-intensive departments of a hospital. The majority of ORs in the Netherlands have an air-handling installation with an ultra-clean ventilation system. However, not all surgeries require an ultra-clean OR.

Aim
To determine the effect of reducing the air change rate on the ventilation effectiveness in ultra-clean ORs.

Methods
Lower air volume ventilation effectiveness (VELv) of conventional ventilation (CV), controlled dilution ventilation (cDV), temperature-controlled airflow (TcAF) and unidirectional airflow (UDAF) systems were evaluated within a 4 × 4 m measuring grid of 1 × 1 m. The VELv was defined as the recovery degree (RD), cleanliness recovery rate (CRR) and air change effectiveness (ACE).

Findings
The CV, cDVLv and TcAFLv ventilation systems showed a comparable mixing character in all areas (A, B and AB) when reducing the air change rate to 20/h. Ventilation effectiveness decreased when the air change rate was reduced, with the exception of the ACE.
At all points for the UDAF-2Lv and at the centre point (C3) of the TcAFLv, higher RD10Lv and CRRLv were measured when compared with the other examined ventilation systems.

Conclusions
The ventilation effectiveness decreased when an ultra-clean OR with an ultra-clean ventilation air-supply system was switched to an air change rate of 20/h. Reducing the air change rate in the OR from an ultra-clean OR to a generic OR will reduce the recovery degree (RD10) by a factor of 10–100 and the local air change rate (CRR) by between 42% and 81%.