Numerical study of the air distribution in the Crew Quarters on board of the International Space Station

Abstract

The current concept of Crew Quarters on board of the International Space Station has several issues according to the crew member’s feedback. Major issues concern noise levels, the accumulation of CO2 and the quality of the air distribution. Our study targets the airflow distribution, to diagnose this issue, we realise a series of numerical simulations (CFD) based on a real scale replica of the Crew Quarters. Simulations were set with a zero-gravity mode and with the theoretical air parameters inside the SSI. The geometry includes a thermal manikin having the neutral posture of a body in the absence of gravity. Numerical simulations were run for the three different air flow rates provided by the current ventilation system. Results have shown that the air distribution inside the Crew Quarter is insufficient for low airflow rates but becomes acceptable for the higher airflow rate, however the higher airflow rate can potentially produce draught discomfort.