Isolation Ward Air Circulation Structure for Rapid Pathogen Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional isolation ward structures are ineffective in rapidly and effectively reducing the quantity of pathogenic air, leading to potential secondary or cluster infections due to inadequate air filtration and circulation systems, particularly in the context of aggressive viruses like the new crown virus.
Innovation Solution
The improved isolation ward structure incorporates a top portion with an air filtration unit (FFU) using HEPA filters, a fresh-air pipe system, and elevated honeycomb floors that create a semi-hermetic space for pathogenic air to be filtered and discharged, combined with a hexagonal layout and partitioned rooms for efficient air circulation and filtration, ensuring pathogenic air is continuously diluted and removed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional filtration system is used in hermetic space, then air can be filtered, but pathogenic air cannot be rapidly and effectively reduced leading to potential infections
Solution Approach 1:
The isolation ward is divided into multiple independent zones (red zone for infected patients, yellow zone for suspected cases, green zone for clean areas) with separate air circulation systems for each zone. This segmentation allows pathogenic air to be isolated and discharged through dedicated exhaust systems while fresh air is supplied to clean zones, preventing cross-contamination and enabling rapid virus reduction in each segmented area.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts and removes pathogenic air from the isolation ward through dedicated exhaust outlets positioned in the red and yellow zones. The air circulation system is designed to draw contaminated air away from patients and discharge it externally, separating the harmful pathogenic air from the clean air supply system, thereby rapidly reducing virus load in the ward.
2Loss of energy
If air is recycled after filtration, then energy is conserved, but virus quantity in air keeps increasing instead of diminishing
Solution Approach 1:
Different zones within the isolation ward have different air handling requirements. The red zone (infected patients) and yellow zone (suspected cases) are equipped with dedicated exhaust systems that discharge air externally without recycling, ensuring virus removal. The green zone (clean areas) receives fresh air supply. This local quality differentiation allows selective non-recycling in contaminated zones while conserving energy in clean zones.
Solution Approach 2:
The system discards contaminated air from the red and yellow zones through dedicated exhaust outlets, preventing its recycling. Meanwhile, fresh air is continuously supplied to the green zone and mixed air supply to the yellow zone. This selective discarding of pathogenic air while recovering and recycling air in cleaner zones balances energy conservation with effective virus reduction.
3Reliability
If fresh air and filtered air are supplied through inlet, then clean air is provided, but pathogenic air cannot be effectively discharged
Solution Approach 1:
The air circulation system employs asymmetric design with different air handling strategies for different zones. Fresh air inlets are positioned in the green zone while dedicated exhaust outlets are positioned in the red and yellow zones. The air flow paths are asymmetrically designed to ensure clean air supply to patients while pathogenic air is discharged through separate asymmetric exhaust paths, making both clean air supply and pathogenic air discharge equally effective.
4Productivity
If numerous infected patients are treated in hermetic space, then treatment capacity is increased, but virus quantity in air keeps increasing causing cluster infections
Solution Approach 1:
The isolation ward is segmented into multiple independent treatment zones (red zone for confirmed infected patients, yellow zone for suspected cases) with separate air circulation and exhaust systems for each zone. This segmentation allows numerous patients to be treated simultaneously while preventing cross-contamination between zones, as each zone has its own dedicated exhaust that discharges pathogenic air externally, thereby maintaining high treatment capacity without increasing cluster infection risk.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design effectively reduces the virus load in the air, preventing secondary infections by continuously filtering and diluting pathogens, enhancing the recovery environment for patients by maintaining a fresh air circulation system that recycles and filters air efficiently.
Implementation Method 1
The air filtration unit (FFU) employs a kind of filter with high efficiency to produce High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA)
Implementation Method 2
a first side wall being connected to the top portion and the bottom portion respectively further including an inlet and a fresh air mouth; the fresh air will flow through the fresh air mouth and enter the fresh-air pipe
Implementation Method 3
the plurality of ceiling boards including the bedroom honeycomb floor positioned in both the bedroom and the circulation room have plurality of perforations to facilitate the passage of air
Implementation Method 4
a third side wall being connected to the top portion and the bottom portion respectively further including an outlet and an exhaust device
Data Source
AI summary
An improved isolation ward structure includes a top portion further comprising a space, a fresh-air pipe, a communication pipe and a an exhaust-connected pipe wherein the space is furnished with an air filtration unit (FFU); an end of the communication pipe is communicated with the fresh-air pipe while its other end is communicated with the air filtration unit (FFU), an end of the exhaust-connected pipe is communicated with the fresh-air pipe; a bedroom being positioned under the air filtration unit (FFU) will let the air which is filtered through the air filtration unit (FFU) enter the bedroom; a bottom portion being positioned under the bedroom has a semi-hermetic space formed by the plurality of elevated honeycomb floors; the air within the bedroom will enter the semi-hermetic space which will let the pathogenic air within the bedroom (10) flow therein via the plurality of honeycomb floors (22) and re-circulate through the air filtration unit (FFU) to be filtered; and a backflow circulation portion being positioned above the semi-hermetic space and below the space with its upper end communicates with the other end of the exhaust-connected pipe; the backflow circulation portion is adjacent to the bedroom for re-circulating the air waited to be filtered within the semi-hermetic space to the fresh-air pipe therein.