Abstract
Computational fluid dynamics simulations were conducted in this study to investigate the effects of the buoyancy-driven thermal plume on the airflow pattern and transport characteristics of airborne particles in airliner cabins. A cabin section containing three seats and three passengers was built and numerical simulations were conducted using thermal and isothermal conditions, respectively. Airborne particles were assumed to be released by the passengers through coughing. The predicted airflow field was validated using experimental data available in the literature. Comparison of the computational results revealed that the thermal plume significantly changed both the airflow filed and the trajectories of particle transport. In addition, the spatial distribution characteristics of the particles and their residence time in the passengers’ breathing zones were highly sensitive to the location of released particles. Comparatively, the particles released by the passenger seated close to the window may have the highest health risk to other two passengers.
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