In the CoViD-19 pandemic, the precautionary approach suggests that all possible measures should be established and implemented to avoid contagion, including through aerosols. For indoor spaces, the virulence of SARS-CoV-2 could be mitigated not only via air changes, but also by heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems maintaining thermodynamic conditions possibly adverse to the virus. However, data available in literature on virus survival were never treated aiming to this. In fact, based on comparisons in terms of specific enthalpy, a domain of indoor comfort conditions between 50 and 60 kJ/kg is found to comply with this objective, and an easy-to-use relationship for setting viable pairs of humidity and temperature using a proper HVAC plant is proposed. If confirmed via further investigations on this research path, these findings could open interesting scenarios on the use of indoor spaces during the pandemic.

On the optimal indoor air conditions for sars-cov-2 inactivation. An enthalpy-based approach / Spena, A.; Palombi, L.; Corcione, M.; Carestia, M.; Spena, V. A.. - In: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH. - ISSN 1660-4601. - 17:17(2020), pp. 1-15. [10.3390/ijerph17176083]

On the optimal indoor air conditions for sars-cov-2 inactivation. An enthalpy-based approach

Spena A.
Primo
Conceptualization
;
Corcione M.;Spena V. A.
2020

Abstract

In the CoViD-19 pandemic, the precautionary approach suggests that all possible measures should be established and implemented to avoid contagion, including through aerosols. For indoor spaces, the virulence of SARS-CoV-2 could be mitigated not only via air changes, but also by heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems maintaining thermodynamic conditions possibly adverse to the virus. However, data available in literature on virus survival were never treated aiming to this. In fact, based on comparisons in terms of specific enthalpy, a domain of indoor comfort conditions between 50 and 60 kJ/kg is found to comply with this objective, and an easy-to-use relationship for setting viable pairs of humidity and temperature using a proper HVAC plant is proposed. If confirmed via further investigations on this research path, these findings could open interesting scenarios on the use of indoor spaces during the pandemic.
2020
CoViD-19 pandemic; HVAC systems setting; indoor air quality; SARS-CoV-2; specific enthalpy of moist air; betacoronavirus; coronavirus infections; humans; humidity; pandemics; temperature; air conditioning; heating; thermodynamics; ventilation
01 Pubblicazione su rivista::01a Articolo in rivista
On the optimal indoor air conditions for sars-cov-2 inactivation. An enthalpy-based approach / Spena, A.; Palombi, L.; Corcione, M.; Carestia, M.; Spena, V. A.. - In: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH. - ISSN 1660-4601. - 17:17(2020), pp. 1-15. [10.3390/ijerph17176083]
File allegati a questo prodotto
File Dimensione Formato  
Spena_On the optimal indoor air conditions_2020.pdf

accesso aperto

Tipologia: Versione editoriale (versione pubblicata con il layout dell'editore)
Licenza: Creative commons
Dimensione 2.27 MB
Formato Adobe PDF
2.27 MB Adobe PDF

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11573/1465359
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? 19
  • Scopus 25
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 24
social impact