THERMAL SCIENCE
International Scientific Journal
Find this paper on
DESIGN AND NUMERICAL SIMULATION OF ENERGY-SAVING HIGH-TEMPERATURE AIR STERILIZER
ABSTRACT
Airborne viral and microbial contamination poses a significant challenge in public health, as these pathogens can spread through the air to cause various respiratory diseases, threatening human health. Particularly respiratory-related infectious diseases such as influenza, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), and the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in late 2019 primarily spread through airborne transmission routes like droplets and aerosols, posing severe threats to human health. Therefore, developing effective indoor air disinfection technologies to reduce pathogen transmission in indoor environments is crucial for controlling and preventing infectious disease outbreaks. Traditional air disinfection methods, such as ultraviolet irradiation, and chemical disinfectant spraying, can reduce microbial counts in the air to some extent but have inherent shortcomings. A novel energy-efficient high-temperature air disinfector is designed in this paper. The core design principle involves rapidly inactivating pathogens using high-temperature air. Through innovative structural design and numerical simulation optimization, the device improves energy utilization efficiency, extends disinfection duration, and reduces energy consumption. Numerical simulation of fluid flow and heat transfer is conducted by computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model. It provides an in-depth analysis of the fluid dynamics and heat transfer characteristics within the sterilizer, offering scientific basis for its design and optimization. A composite structure combining internal baffles and external fins effectively improves energy utilization efficiency and extends disinfection duration. Experimental measurements using the prototype device indicate a heat recovery efficiency exceeding 50 % compared to non-heat-recovery devices. Numerical simulation techniques optimize the internal flow and temperature fields, enabling precise control over disinfection efficacy and energy consumption. An adjustable cooling unit was designed to rapidly reduce post-disinfection high-temperature air to safe discharge standards, enhancing system practicality and safety. The development of this novel energy-efficient high-temperature air disinfector offers a new technological approach for indoor air quality control and infectious disease prevention.
KEYWORDS
High-temperature air sterilization, numerical simulation, Energy-saving design, computational fluid dynamics, heat transfer
PAPER SUBMITTED: 2026-02-03
PAPER REVISED: 2026-04-20
PAPER ACCEPTED: 2026-05-01
PUBLISHED ONLINE: 2026-06-20
DOI REFERENCE: https://doi.org/10.2298/TSCI260203075H
REFERENCES
[1] Radbel, J., Kheradmand, F., Holguin, F., et al., Indoor air pollution and airway health, Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 154 (2024), pp. 835-846
[2] Rice, J. L., Collaco, J. M., Tracy, M. C., et al., Parental Report of Indoor Air Pollution Is Associated with Respiratory Morbidities in Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia, The Journal of Pediatrics, 275 (2024), pp. 114241
[3] Sundell, J., On the history of indoor air quality and health, Indoor Air, 14 Suppl 7 (2004), pp. 51- 58
[4] Ukëhaxhaj, A., Beqiraj, E., Gjinolli, M., et al., Associations between Predictors of Indoor Air Quality in Kosovo and Health Symptoms in a Large Representative Survey, Buildings, 14 (2024), pp
[5] An, S., Liu, Y., Wang, H., et al., Rapid monitoring of indoor airborne influenza and coronavirus with high air flowrate electrostatic sampling and PCR analysis, Front. Environ. Sci. Eng, 18 (2024), pp
[6] James, B. A., Silva, E. F., Oliveira, A. C., et al., Design of a portable device to store and disinfect masks of SARS-CoV-2 virus using Peltier modules, Materials Today: Proceedings, 58 (2022), pp. 324-329
[7] Kossenas, K., Siakavellas, N. J., Tsiboukis, T. D., et al., A Methodology for Remote Microwave Sterilization Applicable to the Coronavirus and Other Pathogens Using Retrodirective Antenna Arrays, IEEE Journal of Electromagnetics, RF and Microwaves in Medicine and Biology, 6 (2022), pp. 41-51
[8] Rutala, W. A., Weber, D. J., Gergen, M. F., et al., Disinfection and sterilization: an overview, Am J Infect Control, 41 (2013), pp. S2-5
[9] Li, B., Liu, X., Wang, Y., et al., Antiviral and Anti-Inflammatory Treatment with Multifunctional Alveolar Macrophage-Like Nanoparticles in a Surrogate Mouse Model of COVID-19, Advanced Science, 8 (2021), pp. 2003556
[10] Phuna, Z. X., Moyo, S. T., Ndlovu, P. K., et al., Nanoprotection from SARS-COV-2: would nanotechnology help in Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) to control the transmission of COVID-19?, International Journal of Environmental Health Research, 33 (2023), pp. 670-699
[11] Blanco, A., Merino, I., López, A., et al., Ozone potential to fight against SAR-COV-2 pandemic: facts and research needs, Environ Sci Pollut Res Int, 28 (2021), pp. 16517-16531
[12] Kuznetcov, M., Siakavellas, N. J., Tsiboukis, T. D., et al., Remote Microwave Sterilization Applicable to Coronaviruses Using a Van-Atta Retrodirective Antenna Array with 2-D Tracking Capability, in: 2021 51st European Microwave Conference (EuMC), 2022, pp. 841-844
[13] Wang, X., Li, Y., Zhang, H., et al., Solar heating to inactivate thermal-sensitive pathogenic microorganisms in vehicles: application to COVID-19, Environ Chem Lett, 19 (2021), pp. 1765-
[14] Rabenau, H. F., Steger, G., Doerr, H. W., et al., Stability and inactivation of SARS coronavirus, Med Microbiol Immunol, 194 (2005), pp. 1-6
[15] Jiang, Y. Q., Li, J., Zhang, L., et al., Sub‐second heat inactivation of coronavirus using a betacoronavirus model, Biotechnol Bioeng, 2021, pp. 27720
[16] Xiong, S.W., Li, M., Zhang, H., et al., Temperature-adjustable F-carbon nanofiber/carbon fiber nanocomposite fibrous masks with excellent comfortability and anti-pathogen functionality, Chemical Engineering Journal, 432 (2022), pp. 134160
[17] Abraham, J. P., Thomas, R. K., Patel, S. N., et al., Using heat to kill SARS-CoV-2, Rev Med Virol, 30 (2020), pp. e2115
[18] Laude, H., Thermal Inactivation Studies of a Coronavirus, Transmissible Gastroenteritis Virus, Journal of General Virology, 56 (1981), pp. 235-240
[19] Pratelli, A., Canine coronavirus inactivation with physical and chemical agents, The Veterinary Journal, 177 (2008), pp. 71-79
[20] Leclercq, I., Batéjat, C., Burguière, A. M., et al., Heat inactivation of the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus, Influenza Resp Viruses, 8 (2014), pp. 585-586
[21] Yunoki, M., Urayama, T., Yamamoto, I., et al., Heat sensitivity of a SARS‐associated coronavirus introduced into plasma products, Vox Sanguinis, 87 (2004), pp. 302-303
[22] Kampf, G., Voss, A., Scheithauer, S., et al., Inactivation of coronaviruses by heat, Journal of Hospital Infection, 105 (2020), pp. 348-349
[23] Lelie, P. N., Reesink, H. W., Lucas, C. J., et al., Inactivation of 12 viruses by heating steps applied during manufacture of a hepatitis B vaccine, Journal of Medical Virology, 23 (1987), pp. 297-301
[24] Principles for Airfree. 2024, Mar 25.https://www.airfree.com/en-us
PDF VERSION [DOWNLOAD]
© 2026 Society of Thermal Engineers of Serbia. Published by the Vinča Institute of Nuclear Sciences, National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, Belgrade, Serbia. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence


