A Computational Study of Turbulent Airflow and Tracer Gas Diffusion in a Generic Aircraft Cabin Model

Abstract

In order to study the capability of computational methods in investigating the mechanisms associated with disease and contaminants transmission in aircraft cabins, the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models are used for the simulation of turbulent airflow and tracer gas diffusion in a generic aircraft cabin mockup. The CFD models are validated through the comparisons of the CFD predictions with corresponding experimental measurements. It is found that using large eddy simulation (LES) with the Werner-Wengle wall function, one can predict unsteady airflow velocity field with relatively high accuracy. However in the middle region of the cabin mockup, where the recirculation of airflow takes place, the accuracy is not as good as that in other locations. By examining different k-ε models, the current study recommends the use of the RNG k-ε model with the nonequilibrium wall function as an Reynolds averaged Navier-Stokes model for predicting the steady-state airflow velocity. It is also found that changing the nozzle height has a significant effect on the flow behavior in the middle and upper part of the cabin, while the flow pattern in the lower part is not affected as much. Through the use of LES and species transport model in simulating tracer gas diffusion, a very good agreement between predicted and measured tracer gas concentration is achieved for some monitoring locations, but the agreement level is not uniform for all the locations. The reasons for the deviations between prediction and measurement for those locations are discussed.