Measurement and Simulation of Biocontamination in an Enclosed Habitat

Microbial aerosols can be used as model particles for examining the dispersion and deposition of particles as well as assessing the reliability of the simulation methods. For example, the computational fluid dynamics model (CFD) can be used in the evaluation of indoor microbial contamination and the possible spread of harmful microbes in spaces with high densities of people or in special hermetic environments. The aim of this study was to compare the results of the CFD simulation, which predicts the deposition of biological particles on the surfaces of a spacecraft, and real particle deposition, using Bacillus licheniformis/aerius bacterium particles as the model organism. The results showed that the particles were mainly deposited on floor surfaces, but also onto the supply air diffusers, where bacterial concentrations were higher than on the wall and ceiling surfaces. The CFD simulation showed similar trends with actual particle dispersal, conducted in this experiment with Bacillus particles.