Design of the ventilation system and

the simulation of air flow in the negative

isolation room using FloVent 8.2
Cite as: AIP Conference Proceedings 1984, 020016 (2018); https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5046600
Published Online: 25 July 2018

M. Idrus Alhamid, Budihardjo, and Andre Raymond

ARTICLES YOU MAY BE INTERESTED IN

Performance analysis of air conditioning system and airflow simulation in an operating theater
AIP Conference Proceedings 1933, 040021 (2018); https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5023991

The improvement of indoor air quality (IAQ) by using natural and mechanical method
AIP Conference Proceedings 1984, 020018 (2018); https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5046602

Computational and analytical study of Trombe wall configurations within Bandung weather
condition
AIP Conference Proceedings 1984, 020019 (2018); https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5046603

AIP Conference Proceedings 1984, 020016 (2018); https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5046600 1984, 020016

© 2018 Author(s).
 Design of the Ventilation System and the Simulation of Air
Flow in the Negative Isolation Room Using FloVent 8.2
M. Idrus Alhamida), Budihardjo, Andre Raymond

Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Indonesia, Kampus UI Depok,

16424, Indonesia
a)
Corresponding author: mamak@eng.ui.ac.id

Abstract. Air quality, contaminants and odors should all be considered in designing a ventilation system for a negative
isolation room. The system should be capable of preventing bacteria and pathogen contaminants from entering the room.
The need for air supply based on ACH must be met to keep the pressure space positive. System filters play an important
role in creating clean air quality. This study used air flow modeling with FloVent 8.2. The result compared the existing
design with the design proposed to conform with isolation room standards with negative pressure. The existing design
shown that outdoor intake was too high, which resulted in high air velocity above the bed. The amount of particles were
also incompatible to standards. The new design shown that the air velocity above the patient’s bed was 1,4 m/s, the
temperature was 22 oC and the pressure was – 1,9 Pa. These parameters accorded with the standards. The air flow pattern
towards the HEPA filter was laminar.

INTRODUCTION
Infectious diseases are diseases that can be transmitted from one person to another, either directly or indirectly by
the means of an intermediary. Diseases are transmitted from harmful infections of bacteria, viruses or pathogens found
in the human body.
The increase of hospital infection incidents, either to health workers or hospitalized patients suggests the need for
preventive measures to reduce the number of hospital infections. One effective measure is to provide an isolation room
facility that aims to isolate and treat patients with dangerous infectious diseases in a separate room and administer
special clean room procedures.
The role of a clean room system is needed to reduce the high number of infections. Clean rooms have
predetermined grades [1] and are classified based on the number of different sized particles found in each volume unit.
Room temperature control, humidity and pressure are important parameters used for creating a clean space.
Temperature should be maintained so as to prevent people in the room from expelling particles through sweat or
unnecessary movement. Air humidity must be maintained at a predetermined value to prevent germination of disease
particles.
Air pressure inside the room must be controlled and adjusted appropriately. If the room is host to an infectious
disease, the room pressure is lowered to prevent the transmission of particles outside the room. Conversely, if the
room is used for operating it must remain sterile so the room pressure is raised to prevent particles from entering the
room.
The objective of the study was to see how well isolation room parameters conform to applicable standards [1][2],
and simulate the flow, temperature, pressure and air velocity, as well as the contamination levels in the room. The
simulation process can be used in the initial stages of isolation room design to observe how changes in design can
affect air flow patterns [3].
The study included measuring the existing air conditions in an isolation room and redesigning the ventilation
system in an isolation room using regulation standards such as ISO 14644 [1], ASHRAE [2]. Using the FloVENT 8.2.

International Conference on Thermal Science and Technology (ICTST) 2017

AIP Conf. Proc. 1984, 020016-1–020016-9; https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5046600
Published by AIP Publishing. 978-0-7354-1700-7/$30.00

020016-1
version [3] a simulation program was created to observe airflow patterns and ventilation parameters in the isolation
room and compare them with the simulated results of the existing condition.

AIR CONDITION CONTROL IN A NEGATIVE ISOLATION ROOM

The patient's isolation room

The isolation room reviewed for this study was for infectious patients in the general hospital community. It had
negative pressure, and separate support rooms such as toilet and ante room.
In general, the intermediate space must be negatively charged in comparison to the existing patient’s room.
Recirculation is permitted in the patient's isolation room as long as the air is filtered with a HEPA filter [4].
Infectious isolation rooms are used to protect hospital staff and patients from contracting infectious diseases. In
order to avoid the transmission of tuberculosis the patient’s room must be designed to have adequate air distribution,
pressure, air exchange rate, and filtration. Air temperature and relative humidity must accord with the provisions
required for patients in a negative isolation room.

The ventilation system in the room

A negative pressure isolation room uses a DX Spit Duct ventilation system. The Condensing Unit is placed outside
the operating room and the Fan Coil Unit is mounted on the ceiling. Air flows from the Fan Coil Unit to the isolation
room through the air duct. To reduce contamination of external air entering the isolation chamber, a pre-filter and
medium filter is installed in the Fan Coil Unit. With the help of the air duct, the return air from the isolation chamber
is flowed back to the Fan Coil Unit through 6 (six) HEPA filters and combined with exhaust air from the toilet and
from the room. No exhaust air from the room is discharged directly into the outside air. Fig. 1 shows the Ventilation
System Installation Plan.

EF

EA

CORRIDOR C
SA O F MF OA
I A
L N PF
FCU

SAD
RAG

SAD

HEPA HEPA
EAG

TOILET NEGATIVE ISOLATION ROOM

FIGURE 1. Ventilation System Installation Plan

020016-2
 RESEARCH METHODS
The negative pressure isolation room is located on the sixth floor of an eight-story hospital building in Jakarta.
Data collection in the isolation room included measurements of temperature, relative humidity, velocity of the air flow
over the patient's bed and out of the HEPA filter, and the difference between air pressure in the room and in the
corridor.
At the time of measurement, there were two patients in the isolation room. In addition to collecting these data,
calculations were made to determine the cooling load of the room and the required amount of hourly air exchange
needed.
The cooling load comes from any component in the room that generates heat. In the isolation room studied, the
cooling load comes from walls, occupants, lighting, and medical equipment that produce heat. The cooling load is
required to know the total heat present in the room before the amount of airflow needed in the isolation room is
determined.
Data collection and measurement of several parameters were required for design requirements. These parameters
included:
x Room dimension, it was necessary to know the volume of space required to calculate the amount of air
exchange,
x Medical and non-medical equipment in the room to find out the cooling load capacity. The layout of the
equipment also needed to be known for the room design and simulation.
x Pressure, i.e. different pressures inside and outside the isolation room. This data retrieval was useful to ensure
the difference in pressure complied with regulatory standards.
x Air temperature in the room, to ensure the compatibility of the isolation room temperature to the standard [4]
for the purpose of designing the ventilation system.
x Relative air humidity of the room, as a reference for designing the ventilation system and the isolation room.
x Airflow velocity, to see if the air system in the isolation room can deliver clean air in accordance with standard
air velocity levels [2]. Airflow velocity was measured when expelled air entered the HEPA filter to ensure the
airflow exits the room.
x The number of airborne particles was measured to determine whether the number of particles of a certain size
in the operating room is standard [1].

MEASURING EQUIPMENT
Measuring tools used include:
x Digital Thermometer - Handheld Type, with a precision of ± 0.5 ℃ with a resolution of 0.1 ℃ served to
measure temperature and humidity.
x Digital Anemometer - Handheld Type, with measurement range of 0.2 m / s up to 20 m / s, 0.2 m / s accuracy
with 0.1 m / s resolution served to measure air flow velocity to HEPA filter and Return Air Grill in the isolation
room.
x Particle Counter SOLAIR 3100, served to measure the number of particles of various sizes in the isolation
room air.

FLOW CHART OF RESEARCH

The research flow chart is shown in Fig. 2 below.

020016-3
 Start

Literature Study

Take Parameter Data

Negative Isolation
Room

Redesign VAC
CFD Simulation Negatif Isolation
Room

Standards Conform No

Yes

Analyze and
Summarize

End

FIGURE 2. Research Flow Diagram

RESULT AND ANALYSIS OF MEASUREMENT DATA

Parameters taken were the air temperature and relative humidity in the isolation room, air velocity to 6 units of
HEPA filters, air velocity of RAG and EAG exhaust, air velocity of SAD exhaust and room air pressure and room
particle concentrations.
Air speed and temperatures to the HEPA filter was measured at 9 different points. Measurements obtained were
values of air temperatures ranging from 24 ° C to 25 ° C and average air velocity into HEPA of 1.39 m / s.

DESIGN AND SIMULATION ANALYSIS

Cooling Load of Isolation Room

The calculation of the external cooling load used the method of calculating Total Equivalent Temperature
Differential / Time Averaging (TETD / TA) which referred to the calculation reference in the Carrier Handbook [14],
while for the internal load the calculation method used the Cooling load temperature differential / Cooling load factor
(CLTD / CLF) contained in the ASHRAE Fundamentals Handbook [5].

020016-4
 By calculating the internal load such as the thermal load of the wall, people, lamps and medical equipment, a total
cooling load of 12,000 Btuh (3,520 W) was obtained with a required airflow of 300 ft / min (510 m3 / h) and 5 ACH
(Air Changes per Hour) for the ventilation system in the isolation room.

Simulation Results Assisted by CFDs

Parameters and Simulation Variables

Simulations performed using the FloVent 8.2 program require input parameters. These parameters were obtained
from the measurement data previously taken in the existing condition of the isolation room as well as the parameters
obtained from the calculations and redesign of the isolation room. The input parameters included flow rates and air
temperature entering the room, the number of particles entering by air with sizes 0.3, 0.5, and 1.0 μm, equipment and
occupancy, loss coefficient and HEPA filter efficiency, and ambience and ambient conditions.
The input value of the flow rate and air temperature in the diffuser in the existing condition was obtained from the
measurement of air velocity and HEPA cross-sectional filter area, while the parameter value of the redesigned
condition can be taken from the room cooling load or standard room ACH. The value of loss coefficient and HEPA
filter efficiency was obtained from the HEPA specifications used.
The output parameter included was the air flow rate that exited the room and entered the Return and Exhaust Air
Grill. The value of the air flow rate that exited the room should have a value higher than the incoming air flow rate,
so that differential air pressure in the room was minimum at - 2.5 Pa with the surrounding space.
After the parameters were entered and the simulation was completed, the result of the simulation was also given
in the form of parameters. These parameters included room pressure, room temperature, airborne particle distribution,
air flow velocity, and airflow pattern of the room.

Simulation Results

The first simulation was performed without any occupants in the room and all medical equipment was switched
off. The layout of the equipment inside the isolation room was likened to the actual layout when the data was taken.
In this condition, only the cooling machine and ceiling lights functioned in the isolation room.

1. Air pressure

The value of air pressure can be known from the difference between the air supply flow rate and the exhaust air.
At some points in the existing room, the air pressure had a negative average value of 1.4 Pa. This indicated that the
gradient of the pressure value of the room met the ASHRAE 170 standard for air pressure.

Existing condition (a) Design condition (b)

FIGURE 3. Air pressure simulation results

020016-5
 In the design result, the pressure value was lower than in the existing room, at an average of 1.9 Pa. This happened
because the difference of the air supply flow rate and air exhaust in the proposed design was greater than in the existing
room. Both rooms met the ASHRAE 170 standard for pressure values.
In the new design isolation room, the air grill supply was mounted on the ceiling close to the center of the isolation
room and in front of the bathroom, see Fig. 8 Suggested floor plan and schematic of the ventilation system. The cross-
sectional area of the air supply grill was enlarged so that the velocity of air as it entered the room was not too great,
thereby preventing turbulent air flow. The dimensions of the exhaust air grill of the toilet area were enlarged to allow
greater return air flow. The return air grill was increased to 3 units and can be mounted on the ceiling.

2. Air temperature

Results of the existing condition simulation shown that the average temperature was 24.5 ℃. This value exceeded
the maximum temperature standard of 24 ℃for an isolation room. Air supply temperatures were insufficient to lower
ambient air temperature. Moreover, turbulent airflow cannot sweep the hot air out, therefore the room temperature
was high.
Results of the design room simulation shown that the average temperature was 22 ℃. This temperature value met
the room temperature standard between 21 – 24 ℃. Air supply was well distributed so that hot air in the room can
reach the desired temperature. The laminar stream was able to sweep the hot air in the room towards the exhaust grill.
Figure 4 shown a simulation result of temperature distribution in the isolation room of the existing and the design
condition. In the existing condition, it seemed that the average air temperature of the room ranged from 21.1 ° C –
21.45 ° C, while the air temperature above the patient’s bed was between 24.0 ° C – 25.0 ° C. This air temperature
was still within standard recommended limits [2].

Existing condition (a) Design condition (b)

FIGURE 4. Simulated temperature diffusion

In the design condition, the addition of the air grill supply and return air grill caused the air temperature above the
patient's bed to be slightly lower, between 22 ° C – 23 ° C. Supply air was well distributed so that hot air in the room
can reach the desired temperature. The laminar stream was able to sweep the hot air in the room towards the exhaust
grill. Similarly, return air, can be drawn in evenly by the Fan Coil Unit through six HEPA filters installed in the
isolation room.

3. Air speed

The air supply velocity entered the isolation room in the existing condition was too large, i.e. about 5.9 m/s, see
Fig. 5 Simulation of air velocity in existing condition. One reason for this was that the air ducting cross section area
and the cross-sectional area of the air supply grill were too small. The amount of air velocity affected the pattern of
supply air distribution. Excessive air velocity can cause turbulence.

020016-6
 Existing Condition (a) Existing Condition (b)

FIGURE 5. Simulation of air velocity in existing condition

In Fig. 6, it seemed that the air supply velocity at entry into the room was about 2 m/s. The air supply velocity as
it starts to move around the room was 0.58 m/s. Although there is no standard that regulates speed value, this value
categorized as good because the airflow became more manageable as observed in the airflow pattern simulation. The
air velocity over the patient's bed led to a HEPA filter of 1.4 m/s.

Design condition (a) Design condition (b)

FIGURE 6. Simulation of air velocity in design condition

4. Airflow pattern

The simulation results of the airflow pattern in the existing isolation room were shown in Figure 7. It can be seen
that great air supply velocity resulted in a stronger streamline of turbulence flow. In addition to the speed factor, the
placement of air supply affected the airflow pattern. In Fig. 7, it appears that turbulent air flow formed between the
two air supplies. This happened because the airflow from both air supplies collided at a relatively high speed.
The simulation in Fig. 7 on the right, shows that in the design condition, the airflow followed the laminar flow
pattern. However, because the air speed was not high, the air can still be expelled through the exhaust air grill.

020016-7
 Existing condition Design condition

FIGURE 7. Simulation results of airflow pattern in isolation room

CORRIDOR
EA SA C
O F MF
MF

I A OA
VD VD VD VD VD L N PF
VD FCU
EF

RAG RAG RAG

VD

SAD
HEPA
HEPA

HEPA
HEPA

SAD

TOILET HEPA HEPA

NEGATIVE ISOLATION ROOM

EAG

FIGURE 8. Suggested floor plan and schematic of the ventilation system

020016-8
 CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS

Conclusions
Some conclusions that can be taken from the results of design and simulation were:
1. The air pressure parameters in the negative isolation space still met the standard [2].
2. The existing condition of 5 ACH met the air supply needs for 4 patients.
3. The air temperature spread was still uneven. Some points in the isolation room exceeded the specified
standard, so this can directly affect thermal comfort in the room.
4. Air flow was still turbulent, the air was warm, because it cannot flow smoothly to the exhaust grill and HEPA
filter.
5. The capacity of the installed cooling machine can meet ACH requirements for the isolation room in design
condition.

Suggestions
Suggestions from the author after simulating airflow patterns and air system designs are:
1. There is a need to add Supply Air Diffusers, so that the distribution and pattern of air flow in the space is more
evenly distributed.
2. The return air systems need to increase the damper volume on each branch of the air duct that leads to the
Main Duct.
3. 100% fresh air supply is recommended for the negative pressure isolation room.
4. Replace the schematic diagram and air duct plan to the one shown in Fig. 8.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Acknowledgments are addressed to PITTA Program Universitas Indonesia Fiscal Year 2017 based on Letter of
Agreement Number 810/UN2.R3.1/HKP.05.00/2017 which has funded this research program.

REFERENCES
1. ISO 14644-1, “Classification of air cleanliness by particle concentration,” in Cleanrooms and associated
controlled environments. (Geneve, 2015).
2. ASHRAE, Standard 170, Ventilation of Health Care Facilities (ASHRAE.Inc., Atlanta,. 2013).
3. Mentor Graphics, FloVENT User Guide Software Version 8.2. (Mentor Graphics, Oregon, 2009).
4. Pedoman Teknis Prasarana RS: Instalasi Tata Udara pada Bangunan Rumah Sakit, Sub Direktorat Bina Sarana
dan Prasarana Kesehatan, (Direktorat Bina Pelayanan Penunjang Medik dan Sarana Kesehatan, Jakarta, 2012).
5. ASHRAE, Handbook of Fundamentals (ASHRAE.Inc., Atlanta,. 2013).
6. Hardin, Jeff , HVAC Design Manual for Hospitals and Clinics Chapter 1 (ASHRAE.Inc., Atlanta,. 2013).
7. Whyte,W,,Cleanroom Technology Fundamentals of Design, Testing and Operation. (John Wiley & Sons, Inc.,
New York. 2001).
8. ASHRAE, Standard 170, Ventilation of Health Care Facilities (ASHRAE.Inc., Atlanta,. 2013).
9. Ninomura PT, Sheerin MP, Cohen T, et al.Ventilation of Health Care Facilities. 2013.
10. VACIC. Guidelines for the classification and design of isolation rooms in health care facilities. Vic Advis Comm
Infect Control. 2007.
11. “Isolation Rooms” in International Health Facility Guidelines. 2015.
12. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) – Guidelines for Environmental Infection Control in Health-
Care Facilities. (Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee, US, 2003).

020016-9