Optimization of recirculating laminar air flow in operating room air conditioning systems

Abstract

The laminar flow air conditioning system with 100% fresh air is used in almost all operating rooms without discrimination in Turkey. The laminar flow device which works with 100% fresh air should be absolutely used in Type 1A operating rooms. However, it is not mandatory to use 100% fresh air for Type 1B defined as places performed simpler operation. Compared with recirculating laminar flow, energy needs of the laminar flow with 100 % fresh air has been emerged about 40% more than re-circulated air flow. Therefore, when a recirculating laminar flow device is operated instead of laminar flow system with 100% fresh air in the Type 1B operating room, annual energy consumption will be reduced. In this study, in an operating room with recirculating laminar flow, optimal conditions have been investigated in order to obtain laminar flow form by analyzing velocity distributions at various supply velocities by using computational fluid dynamics method (CFD).

The laminar flow air conditioning system with 100% fresh air is used in almost all operating rooms without discrimination in Turkey. The laminar flow device which works with 100% fresh air should be absolutely used in Type 1A operating rooms. However, it is not mandatory to use 100% fresh air for Type 1B defined as places performed simpler operation. Compared with recirculating laminar flow, energy needs of the laminar flow with 100 % fresh air has been emerged about 40% more than re-circulated air flow. Therefore, when a recirculating laminar flow device is operated instead of laminar flow system with 100% fresh air in the Type 1B operating room, annual energy consumption will be reduced. In this study, in an operating room with recirculating laminar flow, optimal conditions have been investigated in order to obtain laminar flow form by analyzing velocity distributions at various supply velocities by using computational fluid dynamics method (CFD).