A Seattle-based industrial design company has come up with a 3-D-printed ventilation system that it says can create invisible curtains of air around airplane passengers, reducing the risk of coronavirus infections.
- The concept laid out by Teague, which has worked on airplane cabin designs for Boeing and several airlines, proposes retrofitting an airplane’s traditional overhead air outlets, known as gaspers, with “AirShield” adapters. The AirShield system would channel air in a bladelike pattern around individual passengers in their seats.
- Teague used computational fluid dynamics to determine that the air flow could direct respiratory droplets and aerosols from coughs and sneezes downward to air filters, rather than outward to other passengers. “AirShield has the potential to be an effective, quick and real solution to promote the safety and peace of mind of the flying public,” Teague said in a white paper about the concept.
- Teague said it’s following an internal roadmap for fleshing out the design, getting it certified by the Federal Aviation Administration and having it deployed on aircraft. “The final form of the product will be customized to suit specific aircraft and airline cabin designs,” the company said.
