Global airflow field distribution in a cabin mock-up measured via large-scale 2D-PIV

Adequate air distribution systems are essential for creating comfortable and healthy environments, especially in aircraft cabins, which have high population densities. Numerical simulations and experimental measurements are typically used to study the air distributions in cabins. The numerical results must be validated by experimental data to ensure their reliability, thus necessitating experiments. In this study, we performed a series of measurements using large-scale 2D particle image velocimetry (PIV) to quantify airflows in three different orientations in a cabin mock-up with high spatial resolution. The data analysis revealed both some similarities and random variations in the airflow patterns observed in the different cross sections. Alternating aisle flows were observed in the horizontal and longitudinal sections. A comparison of the airflow fields under isothermal and cooling conditions showed that less longitudinal mixing occurred under cooling conditions and that the thermal plumes formed under these conditions could weaken the jets, resulting in a more stable and symmetric air distribution. The reliability and reproducibility of the measurements were verified by comparing the data collected at the same locations in different sections. This study not only revealed the flow phenomena in a full-scale cabin mock-up, but also provided high-quality data for validating and improving computational fluid dynamics (CFD) codes.