Research of air-drop mixture particles movement in passenger aircraft cabin

Abstract

The paper examined the mechanism of propagation and deposition of potentially pathogenic particles in the field of turbulent air flow of the heating and air conditioning system of the closed cabin of a passenger aircraft. In pandemic conditions, when the disease is transmitted from person to person through the air, knowledge and understanding of the patterns of movement of particles of the airborne droplet mixture in a small confined space with a high population density allows assessing the risks of infection and the amount of post-flight processing required, as well as the level of passenger control. Simulation model of air-drop mixture distribution in passenger aircraft cabin is proposed, which is built on the basis of three-dimensional finite-element model of flow motion in non-stationary setting. Two-factor dispersion analysis was carried out to determine the significance of the effect of flight time and cabin area on particle deposition intensity. A regression model of the propagation density of precipitated viral particles of the air drop mixture was constructed and investigated depending on the temperature, ventilation method, layout and number of infected passengers. Based on the results of the studies, temporal and volumetric characteristics of the distribution of particles of the air-drop mixture were obtained, directions and meanings of the mutual influence of the selected main factors of the model on the mechanism of distribution and deposition of potentially pathogenic particles were determined, recommendations were developed on the organization of the process of disinfection measures in the passenger aircraft cabin.