In the context of the global new crown pandemic, the performing arts have been hit hard
Researchers at the University of Utah used computational fluid dynamics to simulate how concert halls minimize the risk of infection among players
The research team collaborated with the Ablavanell Concert Hall and the Congress Theater in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, and found that just having all the band members sit evenly at a distance of two meters does not effectively prevent the spread of the virus
To this end, they collected the aerosol volume and velocity data generated during the performance of different wind instruments, and combined them with the observation results of the ventilation systems of the two venues to establish a fluid dynamics model to simulate how the gas moves during the performance of the orchestra.
The results show that opening the door to maintain ventilation is essential for removing aerosols
Tony Saad, the corresponding author of the study and the University of Utah, stated that string players should be placed at the forefront of the orchestra.
It is worth noting that the study did not study the influence of singers, and it is believed that all aerosols are the same size, but in fact the size of aerosols is different
"These simulations show that we can describe the risk and we can mitigate it
Saad believes that although some principles apply to symphony orchestras anywhere, individual venues need to be modeled separately for a more detailed analysis of risks
Adam Schwalje of the University of Iowa said that the airflow analysis of the study is expensive and requires specialized skills, which may not be available in all venues
Hong Jiarong of the University of Minnesota said that the study may not have considered all types of air currents, including the body temperature of orchestra members, which can produce upward-moving plumes that affect the spread of aerosols
He added that the conclusions of the study may disrupt the normal working methods of the orchestra
Related paper information: https://doi.
https://doi.
org/10.
1126/sciadv.
abg4511
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