Author ORCID Identifier

https://orcid.org/0009-0000-4846-5809

Semester

Spring

Date of Graduation

2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Type

PhD

College

School of Public Health

Department

Occupational & Environmental Health Sciences

Committee Chair

Michael McCawley

Committee Member

Sijin Wen

Committee Member

Christopher Martin

Committee Member

Marcus Cervantes

Abstract

Abstract

Comparison of Push-Pull Air Curtain to Overhead Downdraft Systems on Aerosol Containment and Distribution in Controlled Environments.

This dissertation looks at the ongoing issue of tiny airborne particles created during medical and dental procedures and evaluates ways to reduce the risk of exposure for healthcare workers and patients to these particles. The first study focuses on the size, how long particles stay in the air, and how far they travel from common medical procedures that create aerosols, showing that tiny particles (less than 5 µm) can stay in the air long enough to escape basic droplet controls. As a transition, the second study compares three air curtain configurations, i.e., Push, Pull, and Push-Pull, in a purpose-built dual-compartment chamber and demonstrates that a well-tuned Push-Pull arrangement consistently delivers the best containment (≈95% under optimized conditions), maintains performance when modest obstructions are introduced, and outperforms single-stream designs.

The third study translates the chamber results to realistic clinical rooms by applying Reynolds and Euler number as a dimensionless parameter for scaling and regression based predictions. The scaled models indicate that Push-Pull system can achieve comparable containment in full scale settings, when properly calibrated and integrated with existing ventilation. These studies show that combining targeted engineering controls with routine ventilation and personal protective equipment reduces aerosol escape from procedural zones. The studies also provide partial parameters (jet velocity, nozzle geometry, and pressure balance) to guide clinical implementation.

Download

Share

COinS