Virtual validation of a disinfection aerosolizer
In critical environments like hospitals, high traffic demands disinfection that is not only thorough but also rapid and frequent to prevent re-contamination. Responding to this challenge, we collaborated with Breezy Med to validate the performance of their no-touch aerosolized hydrogen peroxide disinfection system. The challenge was to prove that aerosolized droplets could achieve full coverage in a closed space. A 3D model simulating turbulent airflow and droplet dispersion was developed to simulate droplet dispersion, considering airflow patterns and particle dynamics. The results visualized the velocity profile and particle-drag forces, providing Breezy Med with crucial data to validate their system's distribution potential.
Visualizing the invisible
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[1] “Verification And Validation In Computational Solid Mechanics And The Asme Standards Committee”, Accessed: Oct. 06, 2025. [Online]. Available: https://www.witpress.com/elibrary/wit-transactions-on-engineering-sciences/84/15718
The virtual prototype delivered specific, quantitative results that answered fundamental questions about the system's performance.
Airflow velocity profiles & coverage potential
The simulation accurately revealed the airflow velocity profile throughout the room, identifying high-velocity zones and, more importantly, areas of stagnation or "aerodynamic shadow zones." This map was fundamental for Breezy Med's distribution strategy. It allowed them to validate that the airflow was robust enough to penetrate the entire room, and the particle tracing analysis showed this comprehensive coverage was achieved in approximately 1 minute, laying the groundwork for an exceptionally rapid and efficient disinfection cycle.
Drag force analysis & particle transport
By calculating the drag force on the droplets, the model determined their capacity to follow the air currents versus settling due to gravity. This analysis confirmed that the particles were light enough to be effectively transported by the airflow into hard-to-reach areas, rather than settling prematurely. This provided critical confidence that the aerosol would behave as expected to reach all corners of the room.
A visual map to validate performance
To bring visibility to this invisible process, we built a 3D virtual prototype of a furnished room, simulating the operation of Breezy Med's aerosolizer.
Geometric Model: A closed space with obstacles (a desk) was recreated to simulate a realistic use-case environment.
Coupled Physics (CFD): A robust model was implemented, which included:
Turbulent Airflow: A turbulence model was used to accurately predict the complex air currents and velocity profiles generated by the equipment.
Droplet Dispersion: Particle tracing was used to simulate the trajectory of thousands of droplets, considering how the air's drag force and gravity influenced their movement within the established airflow.
An aerosol dispersion model
In high-traffic environments like hospitals, maintaining a pathogen-free environment requires disinfection to be both thorough and extremely rapid. This was the core challenge for Breezy Med: they needed to validate that their equipment could achieve full 3D coverage, including complex geometries like under a desk, in a very short amount of time.
Answering this dual question of total coverage and speed is a complex task. Physical testing is costly, requires specialized sensors, and often fails to provide a complete picture of the airflow and individual droplet behavior [1]. It required a predictive model that could simulate the turbulent airflow and droplet dispersion throughout the entire room over time to gain this validation.