Seat embedded circulating ventilation system for humidification

Abstract

The invention provides a seat embedded type circulating humidification and ventilation system used under a low-humidity mixed ventilation background. The seat embedded type circulating humidification and ventilation system can be applied to scenes such as an airplane passenger cabin or a train cabin. The invention relates to an independent embedded seat circulating ventilation system, which is integrally embedded in a cabin seat and is provided with an air supply pipeline, an air return pipeline, an air treatment device and an air blower, and an air supply port and an air return port at the tail end of the air supply pipeline and the air return pipeline are embedded in a seat partition plate; the air supply outlet delivers wet air to the passenger breathing area, and then the wet air and airflow generated by passenger breathing are recycled to the air processing device through the air return inlet to be re-purified and re-humidified and delivered again. The air supply pipeline and the air return pipeline are suitable for sitting and lying postures and can operate independently, and the height of an air supply port and the height of an air return port are set according to the height of the head of a passenger in the two postures. Wet air is recycled through 100% return air supply, the water consumption is reduced to the maximum extent, the humidification cost is reduced, meanwhile, an air curtain is formed at the head position of a passenger, and pollutant diffusion is prevented.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of humidification and ventilation technology, and relates to a seat-embedded circulating humidification and ventilation system for use in low humidity mixed ventilation environments (such as aircraft cabins / train cabins). Background Technology

[0002] With social progress and rapid economic development, especially driven by technological innovation, travel methods have undergone significant changes. In pursuit of an efficient and convenient travel experience, more and more people are choosing airplanes as their preferred mode of transportation. Commercial airliners typically fly in the stratosphere, at altitudes generally between 6,000 and 12,600 meters. At an altitude of 10,000 meters, the external temperature of the fuselage is approximately -50°C, the atmospheric pressure is only 250 hPa, the wind speed is between 30 and 50 meters per second, and the oxygen content drops by about 16%, to only 23.6% of the oxygen content at sea level. Due to the special nature of the flight environment, aircraft must rely on the cabin environmental control system (ECS) to provide passengers with a healthy, comfortable, and safe enclosed environment.

[0003] Although aircraft are equipped with ECS (Electronic Control System), due to energy efficiency considerations, the air pressure inside the cabin is only about 80% of that at sea level, and each passenger receives approximately 9.4 L / s of air, with 50% coming from outside fresh air and 50% from cabin recirculation air. Furthermore, the relative humidity inside the cabin is typically maintained between 10% and 20%, far below the level required for human comfort. Excessively low humidity can cause dry skin, eye irritation, and static electricity. Surveys show that approximately 60% of long-haul flight attendants report discomfort such as dry eyes, nasal congestion, and dry skin due to low humidity, especially in business class, which is often drier than economy class due to lower seat density. Moreover, because business class passengers pay higher fares, airlines need to provide superior environmental conditions to meet their higher demands for comfort.

[0004] Currently, there are three main design schemes for humidifying aircraft cabins: the first is to design a completely new environmental control system (environmental control system) to centrally humidify the entire cabin environment; the second is to increase the humidity in the cabin by changing the airflow organization of the cabin. Zhang et al. proposed a new type of displacement ventilation system (Zhang et al., An under-aisle air distribution system facilitating humidification of commercial aircraft cabins 2010, Building and Environment, 45(4):907-915), which provides regulated fresh and dry air through the interlayer channel along the cabin wall and provides humidified mixed air through the air outlet under the floor. However, when cooling is implemented, the cold air delivered by the cabin wall blows directly to the passengers' ankles, causing a strong draft and thus causing discomfort. The third is to add personalized humidification devices inside the cabin, especially around the passengers, for local humidification. Boeing has disclosed a personalized air supply system for business class seats (patent number: US17343328B2). This system places air vents near passenger seats to provide humidified air and return air vents at the passengers' feet to provide some air supply for the system. However, due to the mixed airflow in the aircraft's dual-layer air supply system, water vapor diffuses into the aisle and ceiling, increasing passenger water consumption and humidification costs. Furthermore, current designs aim to achieve a relative humidity of over 25% in the passenger area. Economy class passengers consume 50g / h of water per person for humidification, while business class passengers consume over 150g / h. This represents a significant increase in humidification costs. For example, a standard China Southern Airlines A350 intercontinental flight (28 business class seats + 307 economy class seats) consumes 20kg of water per hour, which is extremely expensive for high-altitude flights. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This invention aims to address the aforementioned shortcomings by developing a seat-embedded circulating ventilation system for humidifying enclosed spaces, based on hybrid ventilation. As an independent seat-embedded circulating ventilation system, it provides humidified air to occupants and recycles humidified air, allowing water vapor to circulate within the system and reducing water consumption. Furthermore, this invention provides a comfortable humid environment for occupants, reducing the discomfort caused by low humidity in existing hybrid ventilation designs while lowering humidification costs and reducing pollutant diffusion. This invention is applicable to low-humidity hybrid ventilation environments, including aircraft cabins, train cabins, and buses.

[0006] The technical solution of this invention is as follows:

[0007] An embedded recirculating ventilation system for humidification is integrated into the seat of the occupant area. It includes supply and return air ducts, an air handling unit, and a blower. The air handling unit is connected to the blower. The supply and return air ducts include a supply air duct and a return air duct. The supply air duct is connected to the air handling unit and has an air outlet at its end, located on a partition on one side of the seat. The return air duct is connected to the blower and has a return air outlet at its end, located on a partition on the other side of the seat, lower than the supply air outlet. Air purified and humidified by the air handling unit is delivered to the air outlet through the supply air duct and then directed to the occupant's breathing area, creating a high-humidity environment. The return air outlet then recycles the air delivered from the supply air outlet, along with the airflow generated by the occupant's breathing, and delivers it back to the air handling unit through a return air duct. After purification and humidification, the air is returned to the occupant's breathing area. The blower provides the power for air delivery in the entire embedded recirculating ventilation system.

[0008] To accommodate both sitting and reclining postures, the seat-embedded circulating ventilation system features two sets of supply and return air ducts for both postures. Each set includes a supply air duct and a return air duct. The two supply air ducts are connected to the same air handling unit via a three-way valve, and the two return air ducts are connected to the same blower via another three-way valve. By controlling the two three-way valves, the two sets of supply and return air ducts can be used independently. For the sitting posture supply and return air ducts, the supply air inlets at the end of the supply air duct and the return air inlets at the end of the return air duct are positioned at the height of the person in a sitting posture, respectively, and are located on the partitions on both sides of the seat in the personnel area. The air vents are positioned lower than the supply air vents. Without altering the original dual-layer mixed air supply system, the supply air vents deliver humid air to the breathing area of ​​seated personnel, creating a high-humidity environment. Simultaneously, an air curtain forms at the personnel's head level to prevent the spread of pollutants. Similarly, for the supply and return air ducts designed for lying positions, both the supply and return air vents are positioned at the height of the personnel in a lying position, with the return air vents also lower than the supply air vents. Again, without changing the original dual-layer mixed air supply system, the supply air vents deliver humid air to the breathing area of ​​lying personnel, creating a high-humidity environment and forming an air curtain at the personnel's head level. As moisture in the air diffuses and mixes thoroughly with the dual-layer mixed air supply system, the humidity in the personnel's breathing area gradually increases.

[0009] To minimize the impact of the existing dual-layer mixed airflow in the cabin on the airflow delivered by the seat-embedded circulating ventilation system, the placement, direction, and angle of the air supply and return vents are uniquely designed. Unlike existing personalized air supply vent designs with centralized placement on the side ceiling panels of the cabin, this solution adopts a symmetrical seat layout along the center of the enclosed cabin space. The air supply and return vents corresponding to the seats on both sides of the cabin are also strictly symmetrically arranged along the centerline of the enclosed cabin space. This symmetrical air supply and return system design not only meets the requirements of dual-layer mixed airflow but also effectively isolates the background airflow from interfering with the humidifying airflow. Specifically, the air supply vents are located on the seat partitions near the center of the cabin, with the airflow direction opposite to the mixed airflow direction on the same side; the return vents are located on the seat partitions near the cabin wall. According to computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations, a 20° downward angle between the air supply vent and the breathing area of ​​the person results in optimal airflow. Therefore, in a seated position, the supply vent height is 1.1-1.25m, and the return vent height is 1-1.1m; in a lying position, the supply vent height is 0.6-0.7m, and the return vent height is 0.5-0.6m. Furthermore, the airflow velocity at the supply vent is strictly limited. If the velocity is too low, the humidified air supply may not effectively reach the breathing area; if the velocity is too high, it may cause discomfort. Based on CFD simulations, the supply vent velocity is maintained within the range of 0.8-1.2m / s to ensure optimal airflow.

[0010] Furthermore, in the same supply and return air duct system, one supply air outlet is set up and two return air outlets are set up side by side to fully recover the humidified airflow and prevent airflow from overflowing.

[0011] Furthermore, the air outlet is elongated and narrow, with an area of ​​15-20 cm². 2 It also features built-in adjustable louvers, allowing users to independently adjust the airflow volume and direction; the return air vent is a long strip with an area of ​​40-65cm². 2 .

[0012] The aforementioned seat-embedded recirculating ventilation system employs a 100% return air supply method, supplying air from the area surrounding each person's breathing zone. This helps trap water vapor in the seating area while minimizing humidification. Furthermore, the return air vents positioned within the breathing zone allow the seat-embedded recirculating ventilation system to collect and process pollutants from the exhaled airflow, thereby reducing the risk of pollutant release.

[0013] Compared with the prior art, the advantages of this invention are as follows:

[0014] This invention features a completely independent ventilation system for the cabin, utilizing a circulating humidification system. The supply and return air vents are positioned within the breathing area, employing 100% return air supply to reclaim humidified air. The air supplied by the supply vents comes entirely from the air surrounding the passengers. This allows water vapor to circulate within the system, helping to trap water vapor around the passengers and minimizing water consumption. Compared to existing designs, humidification water consumption in business class is reduced from over 150g / h / person to 60g / h / person, reducing humidification costs. In economy class, with a ventilation volume of 10L / s / person and an ambient relative humidity of 6%, the relative humidity around passengers can be increased to 35%, a 10% increase compared to existing economy class designs without changing water consumption. Furthermore, the return air system absorbs pollutants released by passengers, reducing the possibility of secondary pollution. Besides aircraft cabins, this invention is also applicable to other enclosed cabins in low-humidity mixed ventilation environments, including train cabins and buses. Attached Figure Description

[0015] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the application of the present invention to a twin-aisle wide-body passenger aircraft.

[0016] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the flow field in a lying position.

[0017] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the flow field in a seated position.

[0018] Figure 4 This is a flowchart of the piping system for the seat-embedded circulating ventilation system in the embodiment.

[0019] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the piping of the seat-embedded circulating ventilation system in the embodiment.

[0020] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram showing the arrangement of the seat-embedded circulating ventilation system in the embodiment.

[0021] Figure 7 This is a 3D schematic diagram of the air outlet.

[0022] Figure 8 This is a 3D schematic diagram of the return air vent.

[0023] In the diagram: 1-1 Seating air vent; 1-2 Reclining air vent; 2-1 Seating first return air vent; 2-2 Seating second return air vent; 3-1 Reclining first return air vent; 3-2 Reclining second return air vent; 4-1 First air supply duct; 4-2 Second air supply duct; 5 Air handling unit; 6 Blower; 7-1 Main return air duct; 7-2 First return air duct; 7-3 Second return air duct; 8-1 First seat partition; 8-2 Second seat partition; 9 Three-way valve. Detailed Implementation

[0024] The invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, using the business class of an airplane as an example, but it is fully applicable to scenarios such as trains or buses that are similar to airplanes.

[0025] Figure 1 The diagram shown is a three-dimensional illustration of the invention applied to a twin-aisle passenger aircraft. Taking a half-cabin configuration as an example, the invention is based on existing passenger aircraft cabin environmental control systems and can be implemented through simple modifications to the cabin seats. This embodiment uses a business class seat on a twin-aisle passenger aircraft as an example to further illustrate the invention.

[0026] An embedded circulating ventilation system for humidifying enclosed spaces, such as Figure 2 , Figure 3 As shown, this embodiment is an additional independent seat-embedded personalized air supply system with humidification function added to the original hybrid ventilation system in the cabin. The air supply outlets are arranged in the hybrid ventilation system on the left and right sides of the cabin wall. Each business class seat is embedded with a seat-embedded circulating ventilation system. The seat-embedded circulating ventilation system includes a sitting air inlet 1-1, a reclining air inlet 1-2, a sitting first return air inlet 2-1, a sitting second return air inlet 2-2, a reclining first return air inlet 3-1, a reclining second return air inlet 3-2, a first air supply duct 4-1, a second air supply duct 4-2, an air handling unit 5, a blower 6, a return air main duct 7-1, a first return air duct 7-2, a second return air duct 7-3, and a three-way valve 9. The sitting air inlet 1-1, the sitting first return air inlet 2-1, the sitting second return air inlet 2-2, the first air supply duct 4-1, and the first return air duct 7-2 form the sitting posture air supply and return duct, while the reclining first return air inlet 3-1, the reclining second return air inlet 3-2, the reclining air inlet 1-2, the second air supply duct 4-2, and the second return air duct 7-3 form the reclining posture air supply and return duct.

[0027] An air handling unit 5 is connected downstream of the blower 6. A three-way valve 9 is installed downstream of the air outlet of the air handling unit 5. The first air supply pipe 4-1 and the second air supply pipe 4-2 are respectively connected to the other two connection ports of the three-way valve 9. The ends of the first air supply pipe 4-1 and the second air supply pipe 4-2 are respectively provided with a sitting air supply outlet 1-1 and a reclining air supply outlet 1-2. Figure 4 , Figure 5 , Figure 6 As shown, the seated air vent 1-1 and the reclining air vent 1-2 are embedded at their ends in the first seat partition 8-1 near the center of the cabin. The seated air vent 1-1 is set at a height of 1.2m, and the reclining air vent 1-2 is set at a height of 0.7m. Both air vents are elongated, measuring 15cm*1cm, and have embedded adjustable louvers, allowing passengers to independently adjust the airflow volume and direction (e.g., ...). Figure 7(As shown); the blower 6 inlet is connected to the return air main duct 7-1. Another three-way valve 9 is installed upstream of the return air main duct 7-1. The first return air duct 7-2 and the second return air duct 7-3 are respectively connected to the other two connection ports of the three-way valve 9. Both the first and second return air ducts 7-2 and 7-3 have two return air inlets at their ends: a seated first return air inlet 2-1, a seated second return air inlet 2-2, a reclining first return air inlet 3-1, and a reclining second return air inlet 3-2. The seated first and second return air inlets 2-1 and 2-2 are arranged side-by-side laterally, with a height of 1.05m, and their ends are embedded in the second seat bulkhead 8-2 near the cabin wall. The reclining first and second return air inlets 3-1 and 3-2 are also arranged laterally, with a height of 0.6m, and their ends are embedded in the second seat bulkhead 8-2. All four return air inlets are elongated, with dimensions of 18cm * 3.5cm (e.g., ...). Figure 8 (As shown); Two three-way valves 9 enable independent operation of the supply and return air ducts for sitting and lying positions. When the passenger is seated, the supply and return air ducts for sitting and lying positions are connected, while those for lying positions are closed. The air purified and humidified by the air handling unit 5 is delivered to the seated air supply outlet 1-1 through the first supply air duct 4-1, creating a high-humidity environment for the passenger's breathing area. The first return air outlet 2-1 and the second return air outlet 2-2 for sitting positions collect the air delivered by the seated air supply outlet 1-1 along with the airflow generated by the passenger's breathing. This air is then transported back to the air handling unit 5 through the first return air duct 7-2 and the main return air duct 7-1. After purification and humidification, the air is returned to the passenger's breathing area. The air delivery power is provided by the blower 6 (e.g., Figure 3 The same applies when passengers are lying down (e.g.) Figure 2 After being delivered, the humid air flows in the direction of the cabin circulation toward the passenger breathing area, and carries the pollutants generated by the passengers' breathing out of the return air vent into the air handling unit 5. At the same time, the humid air forms an air curtain in the passenger breathing area, which can effectively prevent the spread of pollutants released by the passengers through breathing.

[0028] The air supply system adopts a 100% air supply and return method, supplying air from the surrounding environment of the passengers. When passengers are seated, the system delivers humidified air to them through the seated air supply vent 1-1 at a speed of 0.8-1.2 m / s. After passing through the passenger's breathing area, the humidified air enters the first seated return air vent 2-1 and the second seated return air vent 2-2 along with the airflow generated by the passenger's breathing. Subsequently, it is sent by the blower 6 into the air handling unit 5 for sterilization and humidification before being returned to the passenger's breathing area through the seated air supply vent 1-1. When passengers are lying down, the system delivers humidified air to them through the reclining air supply vent 1-2 at a speed of 0.8-1.2 m / s. After passing through the passenger's breathing area, the humidified air enters the first reclining return air vent 3-1 and the second reclining return air vent 3-2 along with the airflow generated by the passenger's breathing. Subsequently, it is sent by the blower 6 into the air handling unit for sterilization and humidification before being returned to the passenger's breathing area through the air supply vent 1-2. In the same supply and return air duct system, one supply air outlet and two return air outlets are arranged side by side. The area of ​​the return air outlets is larger than that of the supply air outlets, achieving 100% supply and return air. This method creates water vapor circulation around passengers, minimizing the diffusion of water vapor to the outside, thus reducing humidification water consumption and preventing the spread of pollutants. Air handling unit 5 is used to treat the air around passengers for the system's use. Its functions include purification, humidification, sterilization, wiping, disinfection, filtration, and deodorization. One air handling unit 5 can accommodate multiple processing components, but it must meet the most basic purification and humidification requirements. For the humidification components, the humidification water volume should be sufficient to meet 60g / h·person to ensure that the relative humidity around passengers is not less than 30%.

[0029] Although the invention has been described above in conjunction with the accompanying diagrams, its application scope is not limited to the specific embodiments and target scenarios described above. It is applicable to any environment employing mixed ventilation, providing a new humidification solution; and is not limited to only such... Figure 1 Improvements to the dual-layer hybrid ventilation system shown, as well as similar improvements made to any hybrid ventilation system used in existing commercial aircraft, are all within the scope of protection of this invention.

Claims

1. A seat-embedded circulating ventilation system for humidification, characterized in that, The system includes supply and return air ducts, an air handling unit (5), and a blower (6). The seat-embedded circulating ventilation system is embedded inside the seats in the personnel area. The air handling unit (5) is connected to the blower (6). The supply and return air ducts include a supply air duct and a return air duct. The supply air duct is connected to the air handling unit (5). The supply air duct is equipped with an air outlet at its end, which is located on a partition on one side of the seat. The return air duct is connected to the blower (6). The return air duct is equipped with a return air outlet at its end, which is located on a partition on the other side of the seat and is lower than the supply air outlet. The air purified and humidified by the air handling unit (5) is delivered to the air outlet through the supply air duct and then sent to the breathing area of ​​the personnel to form a high humidity environment. The return air outlet then recovers the air delivered by the supply air outlet along with the airflow generated by the personnel's breathing and delivers it to the air handling unit (5) through the return air channel. After purification and humidification, it is sent back to the breathing area of ​​the personnel. The air delivery power of the entire seat-embedded circulating ventilation system is provided by the blower (6).

2. The seat-embedded circulating ventilation system for humidification according to claim 1, characterized in that, The seat-embedded circulating ventilation system is equipped with two sets of supply and return air ducts, namely a supply and return air duct for sitting posture and a supply and return air duct for lying posture. Each set of supply and return air ducts includes a supply air duct and a return air duct. The two sets of supply air ducts are connected to the same air handling unit (5) through a three-way valve (9), and the two sets of return air ducts are connected to the same blower (6) through another three-way valve (9). The two sets of supply and return air ducts can be used independently. The supply air outlets and return air outlets at the ends of the supply and return air ducts for sitting posture and lying posture are set according to the height of the person in a sitting or lying posture, and the height of the return air outlet is lower than the height of the supply air outlet.

3. A seat-embedded circulating ventilation system for humidification according to claim 2, characterized in that, In the aforementioned seated / standing posture air supply and return duct system, the height of the air supply outlet is 1.1-1.25m, and the height of the return air outlet is 1-1.1m.

4. A seat-embedded circulating ventilation system for humidification according to claim 2, characterized in that, In the aforementioned flat-lying air supply and return duct system, the height of the air supply outlet is 0.6-0.7m, and the height of the return air outlet is 0.5-0.6m.

5. A seat-embedded circulating ventilation system for humidification according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, In each supply and return air duct system, there is one supply air outlet and two return air outlets arranged side by side.

6. A seat-embedded circulating ventilation system for humidification according to claim 5, characterized in that, The air vent is long and narrow, with an area of ​​15-20 cm². 2 It also features built-in adjustable louvers, and the return air vent is a long strip with an area of ​​40-65cm². 2 .

7. A seat-embedded circulating ventilation system for humidification according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The air velocity at the air outlet is 0.8-1.2 m / s.

8. A seat-embedded circulating ventilation system for humidification according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The seating arrangement adopts a symmetrical layout along the center of the enclosed cabin space, and the air supply and return vents corresponding to the seats on the left and right sides of the cabin are also symmetrically arranged along the center line of the enclosed cabin space.

9. A seat-embedded circulating ventilation system for humidification according to claim 8, characterized in that, The air supply vents are located on the seat partitions near the center of the cabin, with the air supply direction opposite to the mixed air supply direction on the same side; the return air vents are located on the seat partitions near the cabin wall.

Images