A moving thermal manikin for the simulation of walking passengers in aircrafts or trains

Abstract

We report on experimental investigations of instationary effects introduced by a moving thermal manikin on the flow and temperature fields within a generic train compartment. Aim of the study is to analyze the effects of passengers moving through an airplane or train aisle on thermal comfort and the spreading of locally introduced contaminants. Therefore, a 6m long traverse system was equipped with a standing thermal manikin. Using a control system we can precisely adjust the moving speed of the manikin and its total amount of emitted sensible heat. Furthermore, the manikin provides a similar blockage as real humans do. Accordingly, the moving manikin can be used to experimentally simulate walking passengers. The study was conducted in a generic laboratory, representing the lower cabin of the DLR’s next generation train (NGT). Herein, 24 thermal manikins are seated in six rows and the ventilation is realized by cabin displacement ventilation. Tracer gas, local temperature and omnidirectional velocity measurements as well as laser-smoke visualizations are conducted to capture the effect of the moving manikin. At the conference, we will present features of the moving manikin as well as its application to analyze instationary effects on thermal comfort and spreading of contaminations in displacement ventilation in a generic train compartment.