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Infrared-based visualization of exhalation flows while wearing protective face masks

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, a large number of flow visualization procedures have been proposed to assess the effect of personal protective equipment on respiratory flows. This study suggests infrared thermography as a beneficial visualization technique because it is completely noninvas...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Koroteeva, E., Shagiyanova, A.
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: AIP Publishing LLC 2022
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8939526/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/35340681
http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/5.0076230
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author Koroteeva, E.
Shagiyanova, A.
author_facet Koroteeva, E.
Shagiyanova, A.
author_sort Koroteeva, E.
collection PubMed
description Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, a large number of flow visualization procedures have been proposed to assess the effect of personal protective equipment on respiratory flows. This study suggests infrared thermography as a beneficial visualization technique because it is completely noninvasive and safe and, thus, can be used on live individuals rather than mannequins or lung simulators. Here, we examine the effect of wearing either of three popular face coverings (a surgical mask, a cloth mask, or an N95 respirator with an exhalation valve) on thermal signatures of exhaled airflows near a human face while coughing, talking, or breathing. The flow visualization using a mid-wave infrared camera captures the dynamics of thermal inhomogeneities induced by increased concentrations of carbon dioxide in the exhaled air. Thermal images demonstrate that both surgical and cloth face masks allow air leakage through the edges and the fabric itself, but they decrease the initial forward velocity of a cough jet by a factor of four. The N95 respirator, on the other hand, reduces the infrared emission of carbon dioxide near the person's face almost completely. This confirms that the N95-type mask may indeed lead to excessive inhalation of carbon dioxide as suggested by some recent studies.
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spelling pubmed-89395262022-03-22 Infrared-based visualization of exhalation flows while wearing protective face masks Koroteeva, E. Shagiyanova, A. Phys Fluids (1994) Letters Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, a large number of flow visualization procedures have been proposed to assess the effect of personal protective equipment on respiratory flows. This study suggests infrared thermography as a beneficial visualization technique because it is completely noninvasive and safe and, thus, can be used on live individuals rather than mannequins or lung simulators. Here, we examine the effect of wearing either of three popular face coverings (a surgical mask, a cloth mask, or an N95 respirator with an exhalation valve) on thermal signatures of exhaled airflows near a human face while coughing, talking, or breathing. The flow visualization using a mid-wave infrared camera captures the dynamics of thermal inhomogeneities induced by increased concentrations of carbon dioxide in the exhaled air. Thermal images demonstrate that both surgical and cloth face masks allow air leakage through the edges and the fabric itself, but they decrease the initial forward velocity of a cough jet by a factor of four. The N95 respirator, on the other hand, reduces the infrared emission of carbon dioxide near the person's face almost completely. This confirms that the N95-type mask may indeed lead to excessive inhalation of carbon dioxide as suggested by some recent studies. AIP Publishing LLC 2022-01 2022-01-25 /pmc/articles/PMC8939526/ /pubmed/35340681 http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/5.0076230 Text en © 2022 Author(s). Published under an exclusive license by AIP Publishing. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/All article content, except where otherwise noted, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) ).
spellingShingle Letters
Koroteeva, E.
Shagiyanova, A.
Infrared-based visualization of exhalation flows while wearing protective face masks
title Infrared-based visualization of exhalation flows while wearing protective face masks
title_full Infrared-based visualization of exhalation flows while wearing protective face masks
title_fullStr Infrared-based visualization of exhalation flows while wearing protective face masks
title_full_unstemmed Infrared-based visualization of exhalation flows while wearing protective face masks
title_short Infrared-based visualization of exhalation flows while wearing protective face masks
title_sort infrared-based visualization of exhalation flows while wearing protective face masks
topic Letters
url https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8939526/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/35340681
http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/5.0076230
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