Sensor network for validation of healthy buildings and transportation systems
Systems and methods are disclosed for air flow optimization. In certain embodiments, the technology is a system comprising sensors, injectors, actuators, and a system processor. In order to optimize the air flow, the system processor directs the injectors to expel aerosol particles into an environment, such that the aerosol particles can be measured by the one or more sensors. Flow intensity map generation is then used to map the aerosol particles and air flow is changed to optimize aerosol particle concentration using the actuators.
1. A system for optimizing air flow within a closed environment, said system comprising:
a plurality of injectors in the closed environment and configured to expel aerosol particles into the closed environment;
a plurality of discrete sensor assemblies in the closed environment, each having a sensor processor and one or more sensors configured to independently and dynamically detect the expelled aerosol particles in the closed environment and provide detected aerosol particle data, wherein the sensor processor of each of said plurality of discrete sensor assemblies is configured to dynamically, and in real time, convert detected aerosol particle data from the one or more sensors to sensed concentration data; and
a system processor configured to dynamically receive the sensed concentration data from the sensor processor for all of the plurality of discrete sensor assemblies, dynamically operate said plurality of injectors in real-time to expel aerosol particles into an environment in response to the sensed concentration data, dynamically generate a flow intensity map that maps uniformity and rate of air changes per hour in the closed environment and maps regions of low air exchange based on positions for the one or more sensors in the closed environment;
said system processor further configured to, based on the flow intensity map, dynamically determine areas of high risk of infection in the closed environment, verify the need for a remediation step, and if a remediation step is needed to dynamically determine a remediation recommendation for the closed environment to correct for non-uniformity, rates of air changes per hour, and regions of low air exchange, and said system processor further configured to verify efficacy of the recommended remediation.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein said system processor dynamically operates said plurality of injectors to turn ON, turn OFF, adjust concentration, or adjust velocity to simulate events and dynamically determine an impact of those events.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein said sensor processor of each of said plurality of discrete sensor assemblies operates said plurality of injectors independent of the system processor.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein air flow is changed to optimize aerosol particle concentration using one or more actuators.
5. The system of claim 4 , wherein feedback from the one or more actuators is collected by the system processor.
6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the feedback from the one or more actuators is used by the system processor to modulate a quantity of the aerosol particles expelled by said plurality of injectors.
7. The system of claim 4 , wherein the system processor is networked to the one or more sensors, the said plurality of injectors, and the one or more actuators.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein said plurality of discrete sensor assemblies are configured to locally monitor aerosol generation, clearance, and movement.
9. The system of claim 1 , further comprising one or more auxiliary sensors that detect any one of volatile organic compounds, ozone, and CO2.
10. The system of claim 1 , further comprising one or more air filters, wherein the system processor activates the one or more air filters to maintain the aerosol particle concentration within a predetermined range.
11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the recommendations include use of air filters, sensors, or HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning).
12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the regions of low air exchange are based on a low rate threshold.
13. A method for air flow optimization in a closed environment, the method comprising:
directing one or more injectors in the closed environment to expel aerosol particles into an environment;
independently and dynamically detecting the aerosol particles using one or more discrete sensor assemblies in the closed environment, wherein a sensor processor of each of the plurality of discrete sensor assemblies dynamically and in real time converts electronic data to sensed concentration data;
dynamically receiving the concentration data from the sensor processor of each of the one or more sensor assemblies at a system processor, wherein the system processor directs the one or more injectors in real-time to expel aerosol particles into an environment in response to the sensed concentration data;
generating a flow intensity map to map uniformity and rate of air changes per hour in the closed environment and maps regions of low air exchange based on positions for the one or more sensor assemblies;
dynamically determine, based on the flow intensity map, areas of high risk of infection in the closed environment and a remediation recommendation for the closed environment to correct for non-uniformity, rates of air changes per hour, and regions of low air exchange; and
altering air flow in the environment in response to the remediation recommendation, to optimize aerosol particle concentration using one or more actuators.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the one or more sensor assemblies have one or more sensors.
15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising one or more auxiliary sensors that detect any one of volatile organic compounds, ozone, and CO2.
16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the system processor is networked to the one or more sensors, the one or more injectors, and the one or more actuators.
17. The method of claim 14 , further comprising identifying regions of low air exchange by determining geographical locations for the one or more sensors and interpolating a heatmap visualization of the low air exchange regions.
18. The method of claim 13 , wherein the sensor processor of each of the one or more sensor assemblies operates the one or more injectors independently of the system processor.
19. The method of claim 13 , further comprising collecting feedback from the one or more actuators at the system processor, wherein the feedback from the one or more actuators is used by the system processor to modulate a quantity of the aerosol particles expelled by the one or more injectors.
20. The method of claim 13 , wherein the one or more sensor assemblies are configured to locally monitor aerosol generation, clearance, and movement.
21. The method of claim 13 , further comprising activating one or more air filters in a manner that maintains aerosol particle concentration within a predetermined range.