Evaluation of relative weights for temperature, CO2, and noise in the aircraft cabin environment

As people are increasingly traveling by air, the aircraft cabin environment has received considerable attention in recent years. Temperature, CO2, and noise can influence the cabin environment, but their relative importance is unknown. This paper combined data from an objective mental performance test and a subjective questionnaire survey to obtain the relative weights of these three parameters in the aircraft cabin environment. Our analyses indicated that the relative weights of temperature, CO2, and noise in the cabin environment were 0.4717, 0.2010, and 0.3273 respectively, under summer conditions and 0.5854, 0.1737, and 0.2409, respectively, under winter conditions. In different temperature conditions, the mental performance test results were better in colder temperature. Since we observed a warmer thermal sensation under higher levels of CO2 and noise, we have proposed an adjusted comfort zone for the aircraft cabin. The new zone has a lower temperature than that of the traditional thermal comfort zone. The results of this study provide useful information for engineers and designers as they seek to improve the cabin environment.