Validation of the bio-contamination model in closed habitat

Bioaerosols such as bacteria, fungi, viruses and all other particles that contain living organisms or are released from living organisms are recognized as important contributors to the deterioration of indoor air quality. Crewmembers are a major source of microorganisms on spacecraft, although most of the microbes released are generally harmless along with some opportunistic pathogens. Microorganisms are constant ecological partners of humans, materials and devices also during manned space flight and in other hermetically sealed environments. In the envisioned future deep space missions, it is mandatory to prevent and control bioaerosol contamination, which needs understanding of the contamination mechanisms from sources to deposition of the aerosolized particle. The behavior of bioaerosols was modelled with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) which offers detailed predictions for airflows and particle transport in mechanically ventilated enclosed spaces. The simulations were validated in an experimental chamber with a volume of 30 cubic meters by generating bioaerosols indoors and determining their deposition rates on differently oriented surfaces.