Advanced air distribution for minimizing airborne cross-infection in aircraft cabins

Abstract

The performance of personalized ventilation combined with local exhaust at each seat was studied for the purpose of minimizing airborne cross-infection in spaces whose occupants are sedentary, such as transportation environments. Experiments were carried out in a simulated aircraft cabin section (3 rows, 21 seats). One breathing thermal manikin simulated an “infected” passenger as a source of pollution, and a second breathing manikin simulated an “exposed” passenger. The personalized ventilation supplied clean air at 6 or 10 L/s (12.7 of 21.2 cfm) from in front of each manikin's face. Air was withdrawn at a rate of 6 or 10 L/s (12.7 or (21.2 cfm) by the local exhaust system, which consisted of two exhaust terminals, one on each side of the head of the “infected” manikin. The cabin was ventilated with 180 L/s (381 cfm) of fresh air. Freon was mixed with the air exhaled by the “infected” manikin to simulate airborne pathogens. The airflow from the personalized supply outlet pushed the contaminated exhaled air backward, where it was exhausted before it had mixed with cabin air. This resulted in a substantial decrease of the tracer gas concentration in the air inhaled by the “exposed” manikin and in the air exhausted from the cabin.