個人呼出微粒捕集器

Abstract

全球COVID-19疫情險峻之際，病毒已被證實可透過氣膠傳播，基於職業衛生的觀點，源頭控制是危害預防方法中最具成本效益的手段，因此，能否有效防止帶原者的呼出微粒污染環境，則是可不可以立即截斷傳播鍊的關鍵。有鑑於此，本研究旨在開發一款帶有濾材和抽氣風扇的開放式面罩，稱為個人呼出微粒捕集器(Personal Exhaled Breath Aerosol Receiver, PEBAR)，可在不造成佩戴者呼吸負擔的情況下，有效地捕集呼出微粒，以達成源頭控制的目的。 個人呼出微粒捕集器(PEBAR)由呼出微粒捕集罩、折疊式濾材、抽氣風扇，以及連接構件、鋰電池組成，藉由耳掛式繫帶及背帶或腰繫佩戴於使用者身上。藉由一獨立實驗系統，量測不同結構參數之捕集效率，並參考文獻中人體面部計測值，以及使用光固化3D列印，將呼出微粒捕集罩之設計最佳化及實體化；評估折疊式濾材及連接管特性，選用合適的款式，以及選擇能夠克服前述構件所致壓降的風扇。 研究結果顯示，呼出微粒捕集罩彎型溝槽最佳之高度(TCGH)/寬度(TCGW)/厚度(TCGT)為3 / 10 / 2 cm。擋板部分使用聚氨酯海綿(Mixing reducer)，能有效防止擋板上緣的呼出微粒被外界氣流干擾而逸散，但使用海綿有諸多缺點，且可能會使面罩內產生負壓，因此，以自製3D錐狀立體塑膠膜片作為擋板，可縮小擋板與臉部之距，使呼出氣流不易被外界干擾，依唇下至鼻尖的距離區分為三個尺寸，可供不同使用者佩戴，除了不會導致面罩內部產生負壓，同時也能以較低的抽氣流量，達到99.5%的捕集效果。 本研究研發之個人呼出微粒捕集器(PEBAR)可在室內進行一般呼吸的狀況下佩戴使用，同時具備高捕集效率及佩戴舒適性。未來可應用於氣膠傳播之病患及潛在病患，或科技廠無塵室人員等。

The COVID-19 virus and its variants have caused skyrocketing illness rates worldwide and have been proven as an airborne disease. Based on the perspective of occupational health, source control is the most effective way of hazard prevention. Therefore, whether the exhaled particles of the carriers can be effectively prevented from contaminating the environment is the key to whether the transmission chain can be interrupted immediately. This study aims to develop an open face shield with filter and suction devices, called Personal Exhaled Breath Aerosol Receiver (PEBAR), which causes no breathing burden to wearers and captures the exhaled particles effectively to achieve the purpose of source control. PEBAR comprises a face shield, pleated filter, suction fan, connecting components, and lithium battery, worn on the user by ear loops and straps or waist straps. Using an independent experimental system to measure the capture efficiency of different structural parameters, referring to the measured values of human faces in the literature, and using LCD 3D printing to optimize and materialize the design of the face shield; The characteristics of the pleated filter and connecting pipe are evaluated, the appropriate type is selected, and the fan that can overcome the pressure drop caused by the aforementioned components is selected. Results show that the optimal height (TCGH)/width (TCGW)/thickness (TCGT) of the triangular curved groove (TCG) of the face shield is 3 / 10 / 2 cm. The baffle uses a polyurethane sponge (Mixing reducer), which can effectively prevent the exhaled particles at the upper edge of the baffle from being disturbed by the external airflow and escaping. However, it has many disadvantages and may generate negative pressure inside the face shield. Therefore, the homemade 3D baffle is used, which can reduce the distance between the baffle and the face, so that the exhaled airflow is not easily disturbed by outside airflow. The homemade 3D baffle is divided into three sizes according to the distance from the bottom edge of the lower lip to the tip of the nose, which can be worn by different users. It wouldn’t cause negative pressure inside the face shield, and can also achieve 99.5% capture efficiency at a lower suction airflow. The prototype of the PEBAR developed in this study can be worn indoors under normal breathing conditions, with high collection efficiency and wearing comfort. In the future, it can be applied to aerosol-transmitted patients, potential patients, and clean room workers in technology factories.