Patent Abstract:
An aircraft has a ventilation system that employs a plurality of nozzles positioned in a cavity between a sidewall of the aircraft cabin and a section of the aircraft fuselage. The nozzles receive a supply of ventilation air and direct jets of air from the nozzles, through the cavity and into the aircraft cabin. The jets of air produced by the nozzles create low-pressure areas in the cavity. At least one return air opening in the cabin sidewall communicates the low-pressure areas with the cabin interior, whereby the low pressure areas draw air from the cabin interior into the cavity where the drawn air is entrained with the jets of air produced by the nozzles. Devices inside the cavity remove suspended impurities from the air drawn into the cavity. In this manner, the ventilation system filters or sanitizes the air drawn through the system.

Full Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention pertains to an aircraft cabin ventilation system that uses the momentum of a jet of air ejected from a nozzle to draw cabin air through a filter or other device to sanitize the air before returning it to the cabin, thereby increasing the total apparent ventilation rate to the cabin without enlarging the ventilation system of the aircraft. In particular, the present invention pertains to a ventilation system that employs a plurality of nozzles positioned in a cavity between a sidewall of the aircraft cabin and a section of the aircraft fuselage. The nozzles receive a supply of ventilation air and direct jets of air from the cavity and into the aircraft cabin, with the jets of air creating low pressure areas in the cavity. Ventilation openings in the cabin sidewall communicate the low pressure areas with the cabin interior, whereby the low pressure areas draw air from the cabin interior into the cavity where the drawn air is entrained into the jets of air produced by the nozzles. Devices inside the cavity remove suspend impurities from the air drawn into the cavity. In this manner, the ventilation system of the invention filters or sanitizes the air drawn through the system and thereby increases the total apparent ventilation rate to the aircraft cabin without enlarging the ventilation system of the aircraft. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Commercial aircraft set up for the transportation of passengers typically include rows of seats along the length of the aircraft cabin. Because the primary purpose of this type of commercial aircraft is to transport passengers, the aircraft cabin is usually set up to maximize the number of seats in the cabin. However, increasing the number of seated passengers in the aircraft cabin also increases the potential for the transfer of microorganisms or other air suspend impurities between the passengers in the aircraft cabin. 
         [0003]    The potential problem of airborne disease or other air suspended impurities in the cabin of an aircraft is mitigated by dilution ventilation. The removal of microbials from the breathing space of an aircraft cabin reduces the risk of airborne infection. Current disease models suggest that some benefit is obtained by increasing the flow of pathogen free air to the aircraft cabin. Current ventilation air distribution systems provide between 15 and 25 cfm per passenger in economy seating. The ventilation air distribution systems are flowing at the maximum capacity of the ducting of the system and the system fans. Thus, the limited capacity of current air distribution systems in passenger aircraft is a primary problem in reducing the risk of airborne infection. 
         [0004]    One solution is to reduce the passenger count, thereby increasing the ventilation flow per person. However, reducing the passenger count is not a popular solution because it drives up the cost of the airline ticket proportionately, wastes fuel, and causes flight delays through the increased aircraft traffic resulting from reducing the number of passengers in each aircraft. 
         [0005]    Ultraviolet light sterilizers irradiating ventilation air are very effective in providing pathogen free ventilation air. However, exposing the passengers to the radiation of ultraviolet light is not acceptable. 
         [0006]    Filter material, for example felt, could be added to the air ventilation distribution system to remove air suspended impurities. However, in warm, high humidity environments the filter material would absorb moisture from the cool ventilation air, thereby becoming a source of bacterial growth. Additionally, the wet filter material could present the problem of condensation dripping on passengers during open door loading in the humid environment. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0007]    The aircraft of the present invention is provided with an apparatus that reduces the transfer of air suspended impurities in a cabin of an aircraft without increasing the capacity of the existing air distribution system of the aircraft. 
         [0008]    The apparatus includes a housing that is positioned in a cavity between a sidewall of the aircraft cabin and a section of a fuselage of the aircraft. The housing has an interior volume that communicates with the cabin interior through an air return opening in the sidewall of the cabin and an air outlet opening in the sidewall of the cabin. 
         [0009]    A ventilation air supply duct extends from the source of ventilation air of the aircraft, through the cavity between the cabin sidewall and the section of the fuselage of the aircraft and to the housing. The ventilation air supply duct is connected to the housing and communicates a supply of ventilation air to the housing interior. 
         [0010]    At least one nozzle is positioned in the housing interior. The nozzle is connected in communication with the ventilation air supply duct and receives the ventilation air communicated by the supply duct. The nozzle is constructed to produce a jet of air from the ventilation air received. The nozzle directs the jet of air through the housing interior, through the air outlet opening in the cabin sidewall and into the cabin interior. The jet of air from the nozzle also creates a low pressure area in the housing interior. 
         [0011]    The air return opening in the sidewall of the cabin communicates the cabin interior with the low pressure area in the housing interior. The low pressure area in the housing interior draws air from the cabin through the air return opening and into the housing interior. The air drawn into the housing interior is entrained into the jet of air directed from the nozzle and flows with the jet of air through the housing interior and back into the cabin interior. 
         [0012]    A device in the housing interior removes air suspended impurities from the air drawn into the housing interior through the air return opening. The device can be a filter, a germicidal lamp, or a combination of both. 
         [0013]    A condensation drain is also provided on the housing of the apparatus. The drain allows any moisture that drips from a filter employed in the housing and/or any water that condenses from the cold ventilation air supplied to the nozzle in warm, high humidity environments to drain from the housing. 
         [0014]    In the above manner, the apparatus of the invention increases the total apparent filtered ventilation air to the aircraft cabin without enlarging the ventilation system of the aircraft. 
         [0015]    The features, functions, and advantages that have been discussed can be achieved independently in various embodiments or may be combined in yet other embodiments further details of which can be seen with reference to the following description and drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0016]      FIG. 1  is a representation of a cross-section view of an aircraft employing the apparatus of the invention showing the opposite outboard sidewalls of the aircraft cabin and the cavity between the cabin sidewalls and exterior sections of the aircraft fuselage. 
           [0017]      FIG. 2  is a representation of an enlarged view of the apparatus of the invention shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0018]      FIG. 3  is a representation of a perspective view of the apparatus. 
           [0019]      FIG. 4  is a representation of a perspective view of the apparatus similar to that of  FIG. 3 , but showing the apparatus disassembled. 
           [0020]      FIG. 5  is a representation of the flow paths of primary airflow through the apparatus and entrained airflow through the apparatus. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION 
       [0021]    The aircraft of the present invention is provided with an apparatus that reduces the transfer of air suspended impurities in a cabin of an aircraft without increasing the capacity of the existing air distribution system of the aircraft. 
         [0022]      FIG. 1  is a representation of a cross-section view of a typical aircraft employing the cabin air entrainment filtration system with a condensation drain of the apparatus of the invention. The aircraft  12  is basically comprised of a floor having a floor surface  14 , and cabin sidewalls  16 ,  18  extending around opposite sides of the aircraft cabin interior  22 . Sections of the aircraft fuselage  24 ,  26  extend around the respective sidewalls  16 ,  18  and enclose cavities  28 ,  30  between the sidewalls  16 ,  18  and the sections of fuselage  24 ,  26 . 
         [0023]    The existing ventilation system of the aircraft  12  includes a source of ventilation air  32  represented schematically in  FIG. 1 . The source of ventilation air  32  provides a flow of cool ventilation air to the aircraft cabin interior. The flow of ventilation air is supplied from the air source  32  to air flow ducts  34 ,  36  that extend through the cavities  28 ,  30  between the respective cabin sidewalls  16 ,  18  and the exterior sections of the aircraft fuselage  24 ,  26 . The flow of ventilation air from the source of ventilation  32  can be driven by one or more fans or other equivalent means currently employed in aircraft. Typically, the flow of ventilation air is directed through a plurality of ducts  34 ,  36  and into the cabin interior  22  through a plurality of air outlet openings in the cabin sidewalls  16 ,  18  just below the stowage bins  38 ,  40  of the aircraft. It should therefore be understood that although only a pair of ducts  34 ,  36  are shown in  FIG. 1  extending through the respective cavities  28 ,  30  in the laterally opposite sides of the aircraft  12 , the source of ventilation  32  could be providing flows of cool ventilation air through pluralities of similar ducts that are spatially arranged in the cavities along the longitudinal length of the aircraft. 
         [0024]    To simplify the description of the apparatus  44 , the apparatus will be described in association with only one of the air ducts  34  that extends through the cavity  28  between the cabin sidewall  16  and the aircraft fuselage section  24 . It should be understood that the apparatus  44  can be employed with each of the plurality of air ducts  34 ,  36  positioned in the cavities  28 ,  30  between the respective cabin sidewalls  16 ,  18  and the aircraft fuselage sections  24 ,  26 . Thus, a plurality of the apparatus would be positioned along the cavities  28 ,  30 . 
         [0025]      FIG. 1  shows the positioning of the apparatus  44  relative to the aircraft  12 . The apparatus  44  is positioned in the cavity  28  between the cabin sidewall  16  and the aircraft fuselage section  24 . The apparatus  44  is positioned vertically in the cavity  28  adjacent a passenger breathing zone  46  of the cabin interior. The breathing zone  46  is approximately the height of a passenger&#39;s head above the floor surface  14  when seated in the aircraft. 
         [0026]      FIG. 2  shows an enlarged view of the apparatus  44  positioned to the left in  FIG. 1 . It should be understood that the apparatus  44  positioned to the right in  FIG. 1  is a mirror image of that shown in  FIG. 2 . 
         [0027]    Referring to  FIGS. 2 ,  3  and  4 , the apparatus  44  includes a housing  52  positioned in the cavity  28  between the cabin sidewall  16  and the aircraft fuselage section  24 . The housing  52  has a large lower portion  54 . The lower portion  54  has a general elongate cube configuration defined by lower portions of laterally spaced first  56  and second  58  sidewalls of the housing, lower portions of longitudinally spaced first  62  and second  64  end walls of the housing and a bottom wall  68  of the housing. The bottom wall  68  has a drain hole and a drain tube  70  extending downwardly from the bottom wall. The housing also has a smaller upper portion  66  that extends upwardly from the lower portion  54 . As the upper portion  66  extends upwardly the first  56  and second  58  sidewalls of the housing merge toward each other and form the housing upper portion  66  as a narrow flue with a rectangular cross-section. The housing upper portion  66  at first extends straight upwardly from the housing lower portion  54 , but then bends through a curve as it extends to an air outlet opening  72  at the opposite end of the housing upper portion  66  from the housing lower portion  54 . As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the air outlet opening  72  of the housing  52  is positioned in the cabin sidewall  16  just below the stowage bin  38  of the aircraft cabin and communicates an interior volume  74  of the housing  52  with the cabin interior  22 . 
         [0028]    A drawn air inlet opening  76  is provided through the first sidewall  56  of the housing  52 . The drawn air inlet opening  76  has, for example a rectangular configuration and occupies much of the first sidewall  56 . A filter  78  can be positioned in the drawn air inlet opening  76 . The filter  78  would provide a device for removing airborne impurities in air drawn into the housing interior  74  through the drawn air inlet opening  76  in a manner to be explained. Alternatively, the apparatus  44  could be employed without the filter  78 . 
         [0029]    An air return opening  82  is provided in the aircraft cabin sidewall  16  adjacent the drawn air inlet opening  76  of the housing  52 . The air return opening  82  can be covered with a decorative grill, with louvers, overlapping fins or slats or other equivalent types of ventilating openings  84  that allow air to pass through the openings but block the view of a passenger in the cabin interior  22  into the cavity  28 . 
         [0030]    A ventilation air inlet opening  86  is provided in the first end wall  62  of the housing  52 . As shown in the drawing figures, the ventilation air inlet opening  86  is positioned in the first end wall  62  toward the top of the lower housing portion  54  where the lower housing portion begins to merge into the upper housing portion  66 . The ventilation duct  34  extending through the cavity  28  is connected to the first end wall  62  of the housing  52  at the ventilation air inlet opening  86 . In this manner, the source of ventilation air  32  communicates through the duct  34  with the housing interior  74  and supplies a flow of air through the duct  34  and the ventilation air inlet opening  86  to the housing interior  74 . 
         [0031]    A hollow diffuser tube  92  extends longitudinally through the housing interior  74 . Opposite ends of the diffuser tube  92  are connected to the opposed interior surfaces of the first end wall  62  and the second end wall  64  of the housing. The hollow interior  94  of the diffuser tube  92  communicates through the ventilation air inlet opening  86  in the housing first end wall  62  with the ventilation air duct  34  connected to the housing. As seen in the drawing figures, the diffuser tube  92  is straight and extends straight through the housing. Other equivalent configurations of the diffuser tube could be employed other than that shown. With the diffuser tube  92  communicating with the ventilation air inlet opening  86 , the diffuser tube  92  is positioned toward the top of the housing lower portion  54  just where the housing lower portion begins to merge into the housing upper portion  66 . A plurality of holes extend through the top of the diffuser tube  94  and communicate the interior of the diffuser tube with the housing interior  74 . The plurality of holes form nozzles  96  that are spatially arranged in a straight line across the top of the diffuser tube  92  and are directed upwardly toward the center of the housing upper portion  66 . With all of the nozzles  96  directed upwardly through the housing upper portion  66 , when a flow of ventilation air from the ventilation air source  32  is directed through the duct  34  and the ventilation air inlet opening  86  into the interior of the diffuser tube  92 , the nozzles  96  direct jets of the air upwardly through the interior of the housing upper portion  66  and out through the air outlet opening  72  of the housing into the cabin interior  22 . The jets of air directed from the nozzles  96  create a low-pressure area  98  in the housing interior  74  toward the bottom of the housing lower portion  54  on an opposite side of the diffuser tube  92  from the nozzles. This low-pressure area  98  in the housing interior  74  communicates through the drawn air inlet opening  76  of the housing and the air return opening  82  of the cabin sidewall  16  to draw air from the cabin interior  22  into the low-pressure area  98  of the housing. This air drawn into the housing interior  74  is then entrained into the flow of air produced by the jets of air from the nozzles  96  and travels through the housing upper portion  66  and the housing air outlet opening  72  and is returned to the cabin interior  22 . 
         [0032]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , a device  102  is provided in the housing interior  74  that removes air suspended impurities from the air drawn into the housing interior through the drawn air inlet opening  76  of the housing and the air return opening  82  of the cabin sidewall  16 . The device  102  could be an additional filter, a germicidal lamp, or a combination of both. In the embodiment of the apparatus shown in  FIG. 2  the device  102  is an ultraviolet light sterilizer that irradiates the air drawn into the low-pressure area  98  of the housing through the housing drawn air inlet opening  76  and the air return opening  82  in the cabin sidewall  16 . The ultraviolet light destroys microbials and other impurities carried by the air drawn into the low-pressure area  98  of the housing interior that penetrates the filter  78 , or pass through the drawn air inlet opening  76  when a filter is not employed. The ultraviolet light  102  is positioned in the housing interior  74  where the light cannot pass through the louvers or other equivalent mechanisms of the air return opening  82  in the cabin sidewall  16  and subject passengers to the ultraviolet light or enable the ultraviolet light to be seen by passengers. 
         [0033]    Thus, the apparatus  44  described above reduces the transfer of air suspended impurities in the aircraft cabin interior  22 . Referring to  FIG. 5 , when a flow of air is supplied from the source of ventilation air  32  through the ducting  34  to the nozzles  96  in the housing interior  74 , the nozzles produce jets of air  104  directed from the nozzles into the housing upper portion  66 , through the housing air outlet opening  72  and into the aircraft cabin interior  22 . The jets of air  104  produced by the nozzles  96  also create an area of low pressure  98  in the housing lower portion  54 . The area of low pressure  98  draws air  106  from the cabin interior  22  through the air return opening  82  in the cabin sidewall  16 , through the drawn air inlet opening  76  in the housing  52  and into the low-pressure area  98  of the housing  52 . The air  106  drawn into the low-pressure area  98  is irradiated with ultraviolet light from the ultraviolet light sterilizer  102 . The irradiated air  108  is then entrained and mixed with the jets of air  104  from the nozzles  96  and returned with the jets of air to the cabin interior  22 . 
         [0034]    In the above manner, the apparatus of the invention increases the total apparent filtered ventilation air to the aircraft cabin without enlarging the ventilation system of the aircraft. 
         [0035]    As various modifications could be made in the constructions of the apparatus and the methods herein described and illustrated without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the foregoing description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative rather than limiting. Thus, the breadth and scope of the present invention should not be limited by any of the above described exemplary embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims appended hereto and their equivalents.

Technology Classification (CPC): 1