Indoor air quality in a stale air classroom environment 

Poor indoor air quality significantly impacts infection risks for airborne diseases. This work presents a CFD framework for analysing aerosol and CO₂ concentrations in a stale air classroom environment occupied by 22 people. We observed that CO₂ concentrations at ceiling height are 400ppm higher than in the lower section of the room.

Additionally, concentrations at the measuring level (50cm above the ground) are 300ppm lower than at the breathing level. The lack of fresh air in the stale air environment contributes to the accumulation of contaminants. Our CFD model realistically represents human exhalations, serving as a benchmark for creating safer indoor environments. 

About Mohamed

Mohamed holds a M.SC. in Mechanical Engineering from the Polytechnic University of Turin and is currently pursuing PhD studies at UNSW in Australia. As an engineer, he has a keen interest in improving indoor air quality using CFD simulations. He has spent eight years in academia and industry addressing the ventilation settings in built environments. Since commencing his PhD studies at UNSW, his research focuses on enhancing air quality in various indoor spaces to mitigate the airborne transmission of diseases, particularly in classrooms and aged care facilities. This involves measuring concentrations of carbon dioxide and aerosols in the air.