Air-conditioning duct structure of aircraft, aircraft, and method of manufacturing aircraft

An air-conditioning duct structure of an aircraft includes an air-conditioning duct that is provided on each of a starboard side and a port side and guides conditioned air to a vicinity of a ceiling of a cabin in the aircraft. The air-conditioning duct includes a blowout portion and a blowout upstream portion. The blowout portion blows out the conditioned air to the cabin from an outboard side of the ceiling to an inboard side of the ceiling and toward a lower part than the ceiling, and the blowout upstream portion communicates with an upstream side of the blowout portion. In addition, the blowout portion or the blowout upstream portion is curved to cause a terminal end side of the blowout portion to be inclined downward with respect to a horizontal direction.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention is an air-conditioning duct structure configuring an air conditioning system of an aircraft, an aircraft including the air-conditioning duct structure, and a method of manufacturing the aircraft.

Description of the Related Art

An air conditioning system of an aircraft supplies conditioned air obtained from engine bleed air and external air to compartments such as a cabin. An air-conditioning duct through which the conditioned air flows is provided on each of a starboard side and a port side of the cabin. The conditioned air that has been guided to, for example, a vicinity of a ceiling of the cabin and a vicinity of an overhead baggage storage portion through the air-conditioning duct is blown out from blowout ports to an inside of the cabin.

As described in JP 2009-525910 W, each of the blowout ports is formed in, for example, a square shape.

It is desirable to supply the conditioned air to a lower part of each of seats by blowing out the conditioned air along a right-left direction of the cabin from a pair of a blowout port provided on a member near the ceiling on the starboard side and a blowout port provided on a member near the ceiling on the port side, and downwardly blowing flow merged at a position of a passage corresponding to a center part in the right-left direction.

However, if the flow of the conditioned air jetted from the blowout port on the starboard side and the flow of the conditioned air jetted from the blowout port on the port side suck down the surrounding air, and are attracted to and adhere to the upper ceiling due to Coanda effect, the conditioned air is difficult to reach the lower part. In particular, this is especially difficult in heating in which warm conditioned air is blown out. When the conditioned air does not reach the lower part, temperature difference in the vertical direction inside the cabin becomes large.

In addition, when the inventor of the present invention analyzes the flow adhering to the ceiling from the blowout ports in a flow field, it was found that even when the conditioned air is blown out from the blowout port on the starboard side and from the blowout port on the port side at substantially equal flow speed, a merging position of jet flows is deviated to a right side or a left side from the center part of the cabin in the right-left direction.

It is considered that when the state where the jet flows of the conditioned air adhere to the surface of the ceiling is maintained due to Coanda effect, the merging position of the jet flows is deviated to the right side or the left side even by slight energy difference between the jet flow from the starboard side and the jet flow from the port side.

If the square blowout ports described in JP 2009-525910 W are symmetrically disposed on the members near the ceiling so as to blow out the conditioned air toward the center in the right-left direction, the conditioned air adheres to the ceiling in a manner similar to the above, and the merging position of the jet flows is deviated.

When the merging position is deviated, symmetry in the right-left direction of the wind that is blown downward from the merging position just below the ceiling is deteriorated. For example, if the merging position is deviated to the right side, the wind speed (flow speed) at the seats on the right side of the passage is high and the wind speed (flow speed) at the seats on the left side of the passage is low, and deviation occurs on the wind speed distribution inside the cabin.

An object of the present invention is to achieve, in the configuration in which the conditioned air is blown out from the blowout port on the starboard side and the blowout port on the port side that are located near the ceiling through the air-conditioning duct of the aircraft, at least any of supply of the conditioned air to the lower part of the compartment and uniformization of wind speed distribution in the right-left direction by preventing adhesion of the conditioned air to the ceiling.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An air-conditioning duct structure of an aircraft according to the present invention includes an air-conditioning duct that is provided on each of a starboard side and a port side of a pressurized compartment of the aircraft and is configured to guide conditioned air to a vicinity of a ceiling of the pressurized compartment of the aircraft.

In the present invention, the air-conditioning duct on each of the starboard side and the port side includes a blowout portion and a blowout upstream portion. The blowout portion blows out the conditioned air to the pressurized compartment from an outboard side of the ceiling to an inboard side of the ceiling and toward a lower part than the ceiling, and the blowout upstream portion communicates with an upstream side of the blowout portion. In addition, the blowout portion or the blowout upstream portion is curved to cause a terminal end side of the blowout portion to be inclined downward with respect to a horizontal direction.

In the air-conditioning duct structure of the aircraft according to the present invention, the ceiling is preferably exposed between a baggage storage portion on the starboard side and a baggage storage portion on the port side in a right-left direction, and the baggage storage portion on the starboard side and the baggage storage portion on the port side are located above seats of a cabin as the pressurized compartment. The blowout portion on the starboard side preferably opens above the baggage storage portion on the starboard side, and the blowout portion on the port side preferably opens above the baggage storage portion on the port side.

In the air-conditioning duct structure of the aircraft according to the present invention, the blowout portion on the starboard side preferably opens near a right end of the ceiling and in a vicinity of a boundary between the baggage storage portion on the starboard side and the ceiling, and the blowout portion on the port side preferably opens near a left end of the ceiling and in a vicinity of a boundary between the baggage storage portion on the port side and the ceiling.

In the air-conditioning duct structure of the aircraft according to the present invention, the air-conditioning duct preferably extends between an inner wall of the cabin and a skin and between the baggage storage portion and the skin to the blowout portion.

In the air-conditioning duct structure of the aircraft according to the present invention, the blowout portion on the starboard side and the blowout portion on the port side are preferably configured in symmetrical shapes, and preferably each blow out the conditioned air in a direction forming an equal angle with respect to a horizontal direction.

In the air-conditioning duct structure of the aircraft according to the present invention, a position of a passage between seats on the starboard side and seats on the port side in the pressurized compartment preferably corresponds to a center part of the pressurized compartment in the right-left direction.

In the air-conditioning duct structure of the aircraft according to the present invention, the blowout portion preferably has a flow path cross-sectional area that is made larger than a flow path cross-sectional area of the blowout upstream portion.

In the air-conditioning duct structure of the aircraft according to the present invention, the blowout portion preferably has the flow path cross-sectional area that is made larger in an axis direction of the aircraft than the flow path cross-sectional area of the blowout upstream portion.

In the air-conditioning duct structure of the aircraft according to the present invention, the blowout portion preferably includes a rectification portion that rectifies flow of the conditioned air at a position where the flow path cross-sectional area is larger than the flow path cross-sectional area of the blowout upstream portion.

In the air-conditioning duct structure of the aircraft according to the present invention, the rectification portion is preferably made of a punching metal.

In the air-conditioning duct structure of the aircraft according to the present invention, the blowout portion preferably includes a widened portion and a flat portion. The widened portion is gradually expanded in the axis direction of the aircraft relative to the blowout upstream portion, and the flat portion communicates with a downstream side of the widened portion and has a flat cross-section.

In the air-conditioning duct structure of the aircraft according to the present invention, the blowout portion preferably includes a rectification portion that rectifies flow of the conditioned air at a position where the flow path cross-sectional area is larger than the flow path cross-sectional area of the blowout upstream portion, and the rectification portion is preferably provided in the flat portion.

In the air-conditioning duct structure of the aircraft according to the present invention, the blowout portion is preferably expanded in the axis direction of the aircraft relative to the blowout upstream portion, and a plurality of the blowout portions individually corresponding to a plurality of the air-conditioning ducts are preferably disposed along one straight line parallel to the axis direction with intervals. Each of the intervals is less than or equal to ½ of a length of each of the blowout portions in the axis direction.

In the air-conditioning duct structure of the aircraft according to the present invention, the blowout portion is preferably continuous along the axis direction of the aircraft, and preferably receives the conditioned air from a plurality of the blowout upstream portions configured to guide the conditioned air to a vicinity of the ceiling to blow out the conditioned air.

An aircraft according to the present invention includes the above-described air-conditioning duct structure and the pressurized compartment.

Further, a method of manufacturing an aircraft according to the present invention, includes providing a blowout portion on an air-conditioning duct. The air-conditioning duct is provided on each of a starboard side and a port side of the aircraft and configured to guide conditioned air to a vicinity of a ceiling of a pressurized compartment of the aircraft. The blowout portion blows out the conditioned air to the pressurized compartment from an outboard side of the ceiling to an inboard side of the ceiling and toward a lower part than the ceiling.

According to the present invention, the conditioned air is blown out from the blowout portion configuring a terminal end part of the air-conditioning duct to the pressurized compartment from the outboard side of the ceiling toward the inboard side of the ceiling and toward the lower part than the ceiling. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent jet flow of the blown-out conditioned air from adhering to the ceiling and to supply the conditioned air to the lower part of the pressurized compartment. Further, adhesion of the jet flow of the conditioned air to the ceiling is prevented, which makes it possible to uniformize the wind speed distribution in the right-left direction, including a region where the jet flow blown out from the starboard side and the jet flow blown out from the port side are merged and the merged flow is blown downward.

In the air-conditioning duct according to the present invention, the blowout portion or the blowout upstream portion is curved to cause the terminal end side of the blowout portion to be inclined downward to the downstream side with respect to the horizontal direction. Therefore, it is possible to arrange the air-conditioning duct in narrow gaps between the skin of the aircraft and any of the inner wall, the ceiling, and the like and to arrange the blowout portion downward.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

An air-conditioning duct structure100(FIG.3) of an aircraft1according to an embodiment of the present invention is described below with reference to accompanying drawings.

First, a configuration of a cabin2to which conditioned air is supplied through the air-conditioning duct structure100(FIG.3) by an air conditioning system mounted on the aircraft1is described with reference toFIG.1toFIG.3.

The air conditioning system of the aircraft1supplies conditioned air obtained from engine bleed air and external air to pressurized compartments such as the cabin2and an unillustrated cockpit, thereby performing pressurization, cooling/heating, and ventilation of the pressurized compartment.

FIG.1toFIG.3each illustrate an inner wall3, a floor4, seats5, baggage storage portions6, and a ceiling7of the cabin2. The inner wall3is provided with window openings3A.

In the present specification, a direction along an axis of an airframe of the aircraft is defined as an axis direction D1. A nose side in the axis direction D1is referred to as “front”, and a tail side is referred to as “rear”.

A direction connecting a starboard side and a port side so as to be orthogonal to the axis is defined as a right-left direction D2. The starboard side is a right side of the axis and the port side is a left side of the axis based on the front and the rear described above. Further, an outside of the airframe in the right-left direction D2is referred to as an outboard side, and an inside of the airframe is referred to as an inboard side.

An “upper side” and a “lower side” in the present specification are based on an upper side and a lower side in a vertical direction.

As illustrated inFIG.1, a fuselage8of the airframe in which the cabin2is disposed typically has a circular cross-section. The inner wall3and the ceiling7of the cabin2are curved in a circular arc shape along a back side of a skin81of the fuselage8.

The cabin2is preferably formed to have a shape symmetrical to the axis, inside the inner wall3, the ceiling7, and the floor4.

The seats5are disposed on the starboard side and the port side of the cabin2with a passage9in between. The seats5are preferably disposed symmetrically to the axis from a viewpoint of weight balance of the airframe, and the like. In the present embodiment, seats5R on the starboard side are arranged in two lines with predetermined intervals in the axis direction D1. Likewise, seats5L on the port side are also arranged in two lines with predetermined intervals in the axis direction D1. A position of the passage9corresponds to a center part in the right-left direction D2.

The baggage storage portions6(6R and6L) in which baggage is stored are also provided symmetrically to the axis. The baggage storage portions6R on the starboard side are located above the seats5R, and the baggage storage portions6L on the port side are located above the seats5L. The ceiling7is exposed between the baggage storage portions6R and the baggage storage portions6L in the right-left direction D2.

The conditioned air is blown out from blowout ports10A that are located near the ceiling7, to a space2A that is surrounded by closed doors61of the baggage storage portions6R and6L, the ceiling7, the inner wall3, and the floor4.

The conditioned air flowing through the cabin space2A flows into an unillustrated exhaust duct from an exhaust port that is located, for example, near the floor4.

As described below, wind speed distribution substantially symmetrical in the right-left direction D2is provided to the cabin space2A that has a right-left symmetrical shape.

Each of the blowout ports10A is located at a terminal end part19of a blowout portion11of each of air-conditioning ducts10R and10L (FIG.3). The blowout ports10A are located above the baggage storage portions6R and6L near the ceiling7. As illustrated inFIG.1andFIG.2, the plurality of slit-like blowout ports10A are arranged in the axis direction D1with intervals each smaller than a length of each of the blowout ports10A.

The conditioned air that has temperature, a flow rate, etc. controlled by the air conditioning system is supplied to each of the pressurized compartments through the air-conditioning ducts10(10R and10L) provided on the starboard side and the port side of the airframe.FIG.3illustrates branch ducts that are a part of the air-conditioning ducts10.

Each of the air-conditioning ducts10includes a mainstream portion (not illustrated) disposed in a space41below the floor4substantially along the axis direction D1, and a plurality of branch portions to which the conditioned air flowing through the mainstream portion is distributed.

Each of the branch portions of the air-conditioning ducts10illustrated inFIG.3extends upward between the inner wall3of the cabin2and the skin81from the unillustrated mainstream portions, and further extends upward between the baggage storage portions6and the skin81up to the corresponding blowout portion11. The branch portions are mounted to unillustrated stringers or the like that support the skin81from the back side.

In the present embodiment, the blowout portion11individually corresponds to each of the branch portions of the air-conditioning ducts10.

(Configuration of Terminal End Side of Air-Conditioning Duct)

The terminal end part19and the vicinity thereof of the air-conditioning duct structure100that includes the air-conditioning duct10R and the air-conditioning duct10L are described with reference toFIG.3toFIG.5.

InFIG.3, a terminal end section101that includes the terminal end part19and the vicinity thereof in each of the air-conditioning ducts10R and10L is illustrated by a solid line. The terminal end section101extends from the outboard side to the inboard side substantially along the back side of the skin81. The terminal end section101is connected to an upstream section102extending upward between the inner wall3and the skin81.

The terminal end section101and the upstream section102of each of the air-conditioning ducts10R and10L are typically made of a resin material.

The terminal end section101of the air-conditioning duct10R on the starboard side includes the blowout portion11that blows out the conditioned air to the cabin2near the ceiling7, and a blowout upstream portion12communicating with an upstream side of the blowout portion11.

Likewise, the terminal end section101of the air-conditioning duct10L on the port side includes the blowout portion11that blows out the conditioned air to the cabin2near the ceiling7, and the blowout upstream portion12communicating with an upstream side of the blowout portion11.

The blowout upstream portion12is a duct that has a cross-section in an appropriate shape such as a circular shape, an elliptical shape, and an oval shape. The blowout upstream portion12has a length arrangeable without interference with members such as the stringers and substantially entirely extends linearly between the baggage storage portion6and the skin81.

As illustrated inFIG.4andFIG.5B, the blowout portion11blows out the conditioned air from the outboard side of the ceiling7toward the inboard side of the ceiling7and toward a lower part than the ceiling7. The blowout portion11is curved at a curved position110such that its terminal end side is inclined downward with respect to a horizontal direction.

The terminal end side of the blowout portion11is curved so as to be inclined downward toward a downstream side with respect to the horizontal direction. As illustrated inFIG.4, each of the air-conditioning ducts10according to the present embodiment is curved at a plurality of positions in an extending direction including the curved position110of the blowout portion11.

The terminal end section101(101R) of the air-conditioning duct10R on the starboard side and the terminal end section101(101L) of the air-conditioning duct10L on the port side have the same shape, and are disposed symmetrically to the axis as illustrated inFIG.3. The terminal end sections101R and101L are disposed at the same position in the axis direction D1.

(Detailed Configuration of Blowout Portion)

A detailed configuration of the blowout portion11is described with reference toFIGS.5A and5B.

As illustrated inFIG.5A, the blowout portion11preferably has a flow path cross-sectional area larger than a flow path cross-sectional area of the blowout upstream portion12. Further, the blowout portion11preferably includes one or more rectification portions13that rectify the flow of the conditioned air at a position where the flow path cross-sectional area is larger than the flow path cross-sectional area of the blowout upstream portion12.

The blowout portion11according to the present embodiment includes a widened portion11A that is gradually expanded in the axis direction D1relative to the blowout upstream portion12, and a flat portion11B that communicates with the downstream side of the widened portion11A and has a flat cross-section. The blowout portion11is formed symmetrically to an axial center of the blowout upstream portion12in the axis direction D1.

The widened portion11A has a shape in which a dimension in the vertical direction is slightly smaller than the dimension of the blowout upstream portion12, and the dimension is gradually increased from a position11C connected to the blowout upstream portion12toward both sides in the axis direction D1. The flow path cross-sectional area of the widened portion11A is gradually increased relative to the flow path cross-sectional area of the blowout upstream portion12.

The flat portion11B has a width wider than the maximum width of the widened portion11A, and is curved downward at the curved position110on the terminal end side, to the downstream side with respect to the horizontal direction. A flat cylindrical outlet member11D that forms the corresponding blowout port10A is separately provided at a terminal end part of the flat portion11B.

As illustrated inFIG.4,FIGS.5A and5B, the flat portion11B opens to a member7A provided on the ceiling7, near the ceiling7above the baggage storage portion6.

More specifically, the flat portion11B on the starboard side opens near a right end of the ceiling7and in a vicinity of a boundary between the baggage storage portion6R on the starboard side and the ceiling7, and the flat portion11B on the port side opens near a left end of the ceiling7and in a vicinity of a boundary between the baggage storage portion6L on the port side and the ceiling7.

When the outlet member11D is attached from an indoor side to the flat portion11B of the blowout portion11constructed inside the skin81of the fuselage8through an opening (not illustrated) formed on the member7A, the blowout portion11can be fixed to the member7A.

As illustrated inFIG.2, the blowout ports10A are disposed with predetermined intervals105along one straight line parallel to the axis direction D1. To uniformize the wind speed distribution of airflows blown out from the respective blowout ports10A in the axis direction D1, the dimension of each of the intervals105is preferably minimized. For example, each of the intervals105preferably has a dimension less than or equal to ½ of a length of each of the blowout ports10A in the axis direction D1.

The blowout ports10A are more preferably arranged along the axis direction D1with substantially no gap.

As illustrated inFIG.4, the blowout portion11according to the present embodiment is curved in a gentle zigzag shape in a side view, from a position connected to the blowout upstream portion12to the corresponding blowout port10A.

Note that it is sufficient for the blowout portion11or the blowout upstream portion12to be curved such that the terminal end side of the blowout portion11is inclined downward toward the downstream side with respect to the horizontal direction.

To arrange the air-conditioning ducts10R and10L along the gap between the skin81and the inner wall3and the gap between the skin81and the ceiling7, and to cause the terminal end part19of each of the air-conditioning ducts10R and10L to be inclined downward with respect to the horizontal direction, the air-conditioning ducts10R and10L are each curved at appropriate positions at least in the terminal end section101.

Specifically, in the blowout portion11according to the present embodiment, the widened portion11A extends downward toward the downstream side in a direction intersecting the axis of the blowout upstream portion12, and the flat portion11B extends upward toward the downstream side in a direction intersecting the widened portion11A.

The terminal end side of the blowout portion11including the plurality of curved positions110,111, and112is inclined at an angle θ with respect to the horizontal direction as illustrated inFIG.5B.

As illustrated inFIG.3, the blowout portion11of the air-conditioning duct10R on the starboard side and the blowout portion11of the air-conditioning duct10L on the port side each blow out the conditioned air to the cabin2in a direction forming the equal angle θ with respect to the horizontal direction.

As described below, in order to merge a jet flow from the blowout portion11on the starboard side and a jet flow from the blowout portion11on the port side to blow the merged flow downward toward the floor4of the passage9while preventing the flow of the conditioned air blown out from the blowout portion11from adhering to the ceiling7, the angle θ on the terminal end side of the blowout portion11is preferably appropriately determined.

The configuration of the terminal end part of the flat portion11B is not limited to the configuration according to the present embodiment, and the terminal end part of the flat portion11B can be appropriately configured. For example, the outlet member11D may not be attached to the terminal end part of the flat portion11B and the terminal end part of the flat portion11B may serve as one blowout port10A, or the terminal end part of the flat portion11B may be connected to the corresponding blowout port10A formed on the member7A.

The flat portion11B is drastically expanded in the axis direction D1in an axial-direction section shorter than the terminal end of the widened portion11A. The conditioned air is expanded by the widened portion11A and the flat portion11B in the axis direction D1(front-rear direction), and is jetted from the blowout port10A to the cabin2.

The rectification portion13(FIGS.5A and5B) is disposed inside the flat portion11B in order to sufficiently expand the flow of the conditioned air in the axis direction D1in a short section.

The rectification portion13rectifies the flow of the conditioned air at the position of the flat portion11B where the flow path cross-sectional area is larger than the flow path cross-sectional area of the blowout upstream portion12. The rectification portion13can suppress drift inside the duct generated along with drastic expansion of the flow path cross-sectional area. This uniformizes the flow of the conditioned air jetted from the slit-like blowout port10A.

The rectification portion13is located on the downstream of a position11E of the flat portion11B at which the width thereof is drastically expanded. More specifically, the rectification portion13is located between the drastic-expanded position11E and the curved position110of the flat portion11B. The rectification portion13disposed on the upstream of the curved position110can sufficiently achieve rectification effect without influence of the drift at the curved position110.

The rectification portion13can be configured by an appropriate member that can rectify the conditioned air, for example, a punching metal or a mesh member. The rectification portion13according to the present embodiment is configured by a punching metal, and is disposed orthogonal to the flow of the conditioned air.

The rectification portion13can be provided in the flat portion11B by an appropriate method. The blowout portion11provided with the rectification portion13can be obtained by, for example, insert molding that is performed while the rectification portion13is disposed on a mold for injection molding of the blowout portion11. Alternatively, the blowout portion11may be molded while being divided into a part on the upstream side and a part on the downstream side of a position where the rectification portion13is disposed, and the rectification portion13may be assembled to the blowout portion11so as to sandwich the rectification portion13between the part on the upstream side and the part on the downstream side of the blowout portion11. In the latter case, the rectification portion13is preferably fitted into a notch provided on the duct.

The rectification portion13may be disposed in the widened portion11A or in both of the widened portion11A and the flat portion11B. The rectification portion13may be disposed on the terminal end side of the curved position110in the flat portion11B. To smoothly expand the conditioned air along with expansion of the flow path cross-sectional area, an appropriate number of rectification portions13may be disposed at appropriate positions.

Since the blowout portion11according to the present embodiment has the width that is drastically expanded and has the rectification portion13, it is possible to expand the conditioned air to the necessary width in the axis direction D1with the short axial-direction length. Since the blowout portion11has the short length in the axis direction and is flat, the blowout portion11meets demand of space saving in consideration of the dimension of the gap where the blowout portion11is installed.

Action of the air-conditioning duct structure100according to the present embodiment is described with reference toFIG.3.

The conditioned air is blown out from the blowout portion11(11R) of the air-conditioning duct10R on the starboard side, from the outboard side of the ceiling7toward the inboard side of the ceiling7and toward the lower part than the ceiling7as illustrated by a dashed arrow F1.

The conditioned air is also blown out from the blowout portion11(11L) of the air-conditioning duct10L on the port side, from the outboard side of the ceiling7toward the inboard side of the ceiling7and toward the lower part than the ceiling7as illustrated by a dashed arrow F2.

The blowout portions11R and11L are directed downward at the equal angle θ, and the flow speeds of the conditioned air blown out from the blowout portions11R and11L are substantially equal to each other. Accordingly, the jet flow (F1) from the starboard side and the jet flow (F2) from the port side collide with and are merged with each other at the center part of the cabin2in the right-left direction, and the merged flow is blown downward while being diffused (seeFIG.6A).

Although the positions where the conditioned air is blown out from the blowout portions11R and11L are located near the ceiling7, the terminal end sides of the respective blowout portions11R and11L are directed downward in a direction separating from the ceiling7as described above. This makes it possible to prevent the jet flows (F1and F2) from being attracted to and adhering to the upper ceiling7due to Coanda effect. Since the conditioned air from the blowout portions11R and11L is jetted downward without being attracted to the upper ceiling7, an effect enabling the jet flows (F1and F2) to sufficiently reach the lower part of the seats5is achieved.

FIGS.6A and6Beach illustrate the wind speed distribution in the cabin space2A with color gradation, based on a result of analysis of a flow field of the conditioned air with use of a mock-up model of the cabin2.

InFIG.6A, the conditioned air is blown out from positions similar to the positions of the blowout portions11, from the outboard side toward the inboard side and toward the lower part, based on condition setting corresponding to the blowout portions11and the blowout upstream portions12according to the present embodiment.

In a comparative example illustrated inFIG.6B, ducts that include blowout ports each having a rectangular cross-section are used as the blowout portions, and the conditioned air is blown out from positions similar to the positions of the blowout portions11, from the outboard side toward the inboard side in the horizontal direction. Each of the blowout ports of the ducts used inFIG.6Bhas a large dimension (height) in the vertical direction and a small dimension (width) in the axis direction D1, as compared with each of the blowout ports10A according to the present embodiment. Since the width of each of the blowout ports is small in the comparative example, an interval between the blowout ports adjacent in the axis direction D1in the comparative example is larger than the interval between the adjacent blowout ports in the present embodiment.

An opening area of each of the blowout ports is substantially equivalent between the present embodiment and the comparative example. The flow path cross-sectional area of each of the blowout ports of the ducts according to the comparative example is made larger than the flow path cross-sectional area of a portion of the upstream thereof.

In the comparative example (FIG.6B), the conditioned air blown out from the starboard side and the port side adheres to the ceiling7. Accordingly, a region where the conditioned air does not reach the lower part of the seats5is present, and a merging position C is deviated from the center of the cabin2in the right-left direction D2. As a result, symmetry of the wind speed distribution of the blown-down flow is impaired. In the example illustrated inFIG.6B, the merging position C is deviated to a left side (starboard side) inFIG.6B. Therefore, the wind speed tends to be high at the seats5R on the right side of the passage, and the wind speed tends to be low at the seats5L on the left side of the passage. Difference of the wind speed leads to temperature difference.

In contrast, in the present embodiment (FIG.6A) in which the conditioned air is blown out downward from the blowout portions11, the flow of the conditioned air blown out from the starboard side and the port side is separated from the ceiling7. Further, a flow field in which the wind speed distribution is substantially symmetrical in the right-left direction D2, including a region where the jet flow from the starboard side and the jet flow from the port side are merged and the merged flow is blown downward while being diffused, is provided to the cabin space2A. According to the analysis result illustrated inFIG.6A, the flow field with substantially uniform wind speed distribution is provided on both of the right and left sides of the passage9.

As illustrated inFIG.6AandFIG.3, when the jet flows (F1and F2) do not adhere to the ceiling7, the jet flows (F1and F2) of the conditioned air can reach the lower part of the seats5even in the case of the conditioned air in heating, and it is possible to prevent the merging position C from being deviated to the right side or the left side from the center in the right-left direction D2due to difference of the wind force caused by slight difference of the flow speed between the jet flow F1and the jet flow F2.

In the present embodiment, even if the flow speed is different between the conditioned air flowing through the blowout upstream portion12on the starboard side and the conditioned air flowing through the blowout upstream portion12on the port side, the flow of the conditioned air is expanded by the blowout portion11that is increased in the flow path cross-sectional area and is jetted downward as the jet flows (F1and F2), and diffusion of the jet flows (F1and F2) to the surrounding airflows progresses before merging. When the diffusion progresses, deviation of the flow speed between the starboard side and the port side hardly occurs. As a result, the conditioned air blown out from the blowout portion11on the starboard side and the conditioned air blown out from the blowout portion11on the port side are merged at the predetermined merging position C. In the comparative example ofFIG.6B, since the flow adhering to the ceiling7hardly causes diffusion, deviation of the flow speed between the starboard side and the port side influences the merging position C.

Even when the blowout portion11has a circular cross-section, a rectangular cross-section, or the like, if the flow path cross-sectional area of the blowout portion11is made larger than the flow path cross-sectional area of the blowout upstream portion12, the state similar to the state according to the present embodiment occurs. Even in the form of the blowout port according to the comparative example illustrated inFIG.6B, the direction of the blowout port is set so as not to blow out the conditioned air in the horizontal direction but to blow out the conditioned air toward the lower part as with the present embodiment, which improves asymmetry of the wind speed distribution.

According to the present embodiment, the flow merged at the merging position C that is the center part in the right-left direction D2is blown downward to the passage9that is located at the center of the cabin2in the right-left direction D2. This makes it possible to avoid the wind from blowing to the seats5, and also to avoid the wind speed distribution and the temperature distribution at the seats5from being deviated.

Note that it is permitted that the merging position C is periodically displaced in the right-left direction D2due to fluctuation of the flow derived from a fan or the like, under the control of the air conditioning system.

Further, according to the present embodiment, the blowout ports10A are arranged along the axis direction D1with small intervals, which makes it possible to avoid deviation of the wind speed distribution of the cabin space2A in the front-rear direction (D1). As a result, it is possible to avoid temperature variation in the front-rear direction (D1), for example, low temperature at the seats5near the blowout ports10A and high temperature at the seats5far from the blowout ports10A.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to achieve all of supply of the conditioned air to the lower part of the cabin2, uniformization of the wind speed distribution in the right-left direction D2, and uniformization of the wind speed distribution in the axis direction D1. Accordingly, the wind speed can be settled within a prescribed range over the entire cabin2to improve comfortableness of passengers.

When unevenness of temperature over the enter cabin2is eliminated by uniformization of the wind speed distribution, the air conditioning system is stably controlled based on representative temperature detected at one or a plurality of positions in the cabin2while suppressing a use amount of bleed air, because temperature variation of the conditioned air is small. In other words, the control is efficiently performed while suppressing the use amount of bleed air, which can contribute to reduction of fuel consumption.

According to the present embodiment, since the blowout portions11located at the terminal end parts of the air-conditioning ducts10R and10L are inclined downward with respect to the horizontal direction, it is possible to prevent adhesion of the jet flows (F1and F2) to the ceiling7while the conditioned air is blown out from the vicinity of the ceiling7.

Accordingly, it is sufficient to use the branch ducts of the conventional air-conditioning duct that guides the conditioned air to the vicinity of the ceiling7and to provide the downward blowout portions11at the terminal end sides of the respective branch ducts, which is economical. It is unnecessary to add the member such as the rectification member to each of the blowout portions11, which is also economical. This makes it possible to uniformize the wind speed distribution while avoiding increase in airframe weight.

According to the above description, the air-conditioning duct structure100including the blowout portions11and the blowout upstream portions12according to the preset invention is suitable not only for the aircraft1newly manufactured but also for repair of the existing aircraft1. In other words, in place of the terminal end parts of the air-conditioning ducts that supply the conditioned air to the pressurized compartments such as the cabin2of the existing aircraft, providing the blowout portions11makes it possible to prevent adhesion of the conditioned air to the ceiling7and to uniformize the wind speed distribution and the temperature distribution in the pressurized compartments.

Further, since the blowout portions11or the blowout upstream portions12are curved such that the terminal end sides of the blowout portions11are inclined downward to the downstream side with respect to the horizontal direction, the air-conditioning ducts10R and10L can be arranged in a narrow gap between the skin81and any of the inner wall3, the baggage storage portions6, and the like, and the blowout portions11can be disposed downward.

(Modification of Present Invention)

A modification relating to uniformization of the wind speed distribution of the cabin2in the axis direction D1is described with reference toFIG.7andFIGS.8A and8B.

As illustrated inFIG.7, a blowout portion21that includes a blowout port20A continuous in the axis direction D1is a chamber elongated in the axis direction D1. As illustrated inFIGS.8A and8B, the blowout portion21receives the conditioned air from a plurality of blowout upstream portions22that guide the conditioned air to the vicinity of the ceiling7, and blows out the conditioned air from the slit-like blowout port20A to the cabin space2A.

As with the blowout portions11(FIG.3), the blowout portion21is provided on each of the starboard side and the port side as a terminal end part of each of the air-conditioning ducts10R and10L.FIG.8Aillustrates the blowout portion21on the port side. As illustrated inFIG.8A, the blowout portion21is located above each of the baggage storage portions6R and6L in the vicinity of the ceiling7.

The blowout portion21has a length corresponding to the plurality of blowout upstream portions22arranged in the axis direction D1. The plurality of blowout upstream portions22arranged in the axis direction D1are connected to a wall211on the downstream side of the blowout portion21.

As illustrated inFIG.8A, the terminal end side of the blowout portion21is inclined downward with respect to the horizontal direction because the blowout upstream portions22are curved. Accordingly, the blowout portion21blows out the conditioned air to the cabin2from the outboard side of the ceiling7toward the inboard side of the ceiling7and toward the lower part than the ceiling7.

As illustrated inFIG.8B, two or more blowout portions21can be adjacently disposed without a gap while being in contact with one another in the axis direction D1. In this case, a single outlet member21D (FIG.7) that serves as the blowout port20A can be provided over the plurality of adjacent blowout portions21. This makes it possible to reduce the number of parts and to improve appearance.

The blowout portion21may have a length over the entire cabin2in the axis direction D1. In this case, all of the plurality of blowout upstream portions22arranged in the axis direction D1in the region of the cabin2are connectable to the single blowout portion21.

The conditioned air is uniformly jetted in the direction separated from the ceiling7from blowout portion21along the axis direction D1. Therefore, it is possible to prevent adhesion of the conditioned air to the ceiling7to suppress unevenness of the wind speed in the vertical direction and the right-left direction D2as with the above-described embodiment. In addition, it is possible to further uniformize the wind speed distribution in the axis direction D1.

Note that, the configuration similar to the configuration of the above-described modification is obtainable by adjacently arranging the blowout portions11(FIG.5A) according to the above-described embodiment so as to be in contact with one another in the axis direction D1, and uniformization of the wind speed distribution in the axis direction D1is more sufficiently achievable.

Other than the above, the configurations described in the above-described embodiment can be selected or appropriately modified without departing from the scope of the present invention.

The blowout portions11of the air-conditioning ducts10R and10L according to the present invention may each have a width that is gradually increased over an upstream end to a downstream end without being drastically increased at a certain position.

In each of the blowout portions11of the air-conditioning ducts10R and10L according to the present invention, the flow path cross-sectional area is not necessarily expanded relative to the upstream portion as long as the conditioned air is blown out from the blowout portions11to the cabin2from the outboard side of the ceiling7toward the inboard side of the ceiling7and toward the lower part than the ceiling7. Even when the flow path cross-sectional area is not made larger than the flow path cross-sectional area of the upstream portion, adhesion of the jet flows of the conditioned air blown out from the blowout portions on the starboard side and the port side to the ceiling7is prevented. In this case, it is permitted that the merging position C of the jet flows is slightly deviated from the center (position of axis) of the cabin2in the right-left direction D2. Adhesion of the jet flows of the conditioned air to the ceiling7is prevented, which makes it possible to supply the conditioned air to the lower part of the seats5. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce the temperature difference in the vertical direction.

The position of the passage9and the positions of the baggage storage portions6are changed, and the form of the ceiling7is also changed depending on layout of the seats5in the cabin2. For example, a case where the seats5are disposed in three regions of a right region, a center region, and a left region, two passages9are each provided between the adjacent regions, and three baggage storage portions are provided above the respective regions is considered. In this case, the ceiling7is exposed at two positions, namely, between a left baggage storage portion and a center baggage storage portion and between the center baggage storage portion and a right baggage storage portion. In this case, the blowout portions11of the air-conditioning ducts according to the present invention are symmetrically provided near a ceiling exposed part on the left side, and the blowout portions11of the air-conditioning ducts according to the present invention are also symmetrically provided near a ceiling exposed part on the right side. This makes it possible to prevent adhesion of the conditioned air to the ceiling, and to uniformize the wind speed distribution and the temperature distribution inside the cabin.

The air-conditioning duct structure100according to the present invention is applicable to the other pressurized compartments such as a cockpit without being limited to the cabin2.