An impinging jet ventilation approach for automotive cabins: promoting coughing droplet mitigation and thermal comfort enhancement

Puyang Zhang; Mokhtar Djeddou; Xinchao Su; Guangjun Gao; Weizhen LU

doi:10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2025.128696

An impinging jet ventilation approach for automotive cabins: promoting coughing droplet mitigation and thermal comfort enhancement

Puyang Zhang, Mokhtar Djeddou, Xinchao Su^*, Guangjun Gao, Weizhen LU

^*Corresponding author for this work

Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering

Research output: Journal Publications and Reviews › RGC 21 - Publication in refereed journal › peer-review

2 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

This study proposes a novel Impinging Jet Ventilation (IJV) system for automotive cabins, designed to simultaneously mitigate the transmission of virus-laden droplets from coughing passengers and enhance driver thermal comfort. A numerical model, validated against real-vehicle airflow measurements, was developed to compare the proposed IJV system with a traditional dashboard-based ventilation system. The Eulerian-Lagrangian approach was employed to simulate cough droplet dispersion, while driver thermal comfort was assessed using the Fiala Thermoregulation and Equivalent Homogeneous Temperature (EHT) models. Results demonstrate that the IJV system effectively hinders droplet spread, reducing the droplet count in the frontal breathing zone to near zero within 20 s. Furthermore, it promotes a more uniform cabin temperature distribution, significantly narrowing the driver’s body surface temperature range. These improvements translate to a substantial enhancement in thermal comfort, with the Fiala Predicted Percentage Dissatisfied (PPD) and Dynamic Thermal Sensation (DTS) decreasing by 11.27% and 10.47%, respectively. In conclusion, the IJV system demonstrates superior performance in both controlling infectious droplet transmission and improving thermal comfort, offering a promising integrated solution for healthier and more comfortable vehicle cabin environments.
© 2025 Elsevier Ltd.

Original language	English
Article number	128696
Number of pages	14
Journal	Applied Thermal Engineering
Volume	281, Part 2
Online published	13 Oct 2025
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2025.128696
Publication status	Published - 15 Dec 2025

Funding

This work was accomplished by the supports of the Independent Exploration of Graduate Students of Central South University of China (1053320220657) and RGC General Research Fund (GRF No. 9043357 & 9054046).

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

Research Keywords

Impinging jet ventilation
Droplet transmission control
Cabin thermal comfort
Fiala thermoregulation model
Equivalent homogeneous temperature model

RGC Funding Information

RGC-funded

Access Output

10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2025.128696

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NSFC: Study on Thermal Environment Mechanism and Energy Characteristics of High Performance Decoupled Radiant Cooling System Using Low Temperature Source
HUANG, G. (Principal Investigator / Project Coordinator), LAN, B. (Co-Investigator), LIU, Y. (Co-Investigator), WAN, H. (Co-Investigator) & Wu, H. (Co-Investigator)
1/01/24 → …
Project: Research
GRF: Development and Control of Stratified Micro-environments to Maximise Ventilation Performance
LIN, J. Z. (Principal Investigator / Project Coordinator) & NIU, J. L. (Co-Investigator)
1/01/23 → …
Project: Research

Cite this

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title = "An impinging jet ventilation approach for automotive cabins: promoting coughing droplet mitigation and thermal comfort enhancement",

abstract = "This study proposes a novel Impinging Jet Ventilation (IJV) system for automotive cabins, designed to simultaneously mitigate the transmission of virus-laden droplets from coughing passengers and enhance driver thermal comfort. A numerical model, validated against real-vehicle airflow measurements, was developed to compare the proposed IJV system with a traditional dashboard-based ventilation system. The Eulerian-Lagrangian approach was employed to simulate cough droplet dispersion, while driver thermal comfort was assessed using the Fiala Thermoregulation and Equivalent Homogeneous Temperature (EHT) models. Results demonstrate that the IJV system effectively hinders droplet spread, reducing the droplet count in the frontal breathing zone to near zero within 20 s. Furthermore, it promotes a more uniform cabin temperature distribution, significantly narrowing the driver{\textquoteright}s body surface temperature range. These improvements translate to a substantial enhancement in thermal comfort, with the Fiala Predicted Percentage Dissatisfied (PPD) and Dynamic Thermal Sensation (DTS) decreasing by 11.27% and 10.47%, respectively. In conclusion, the IJV system demonstrates superior performance in both controlling infectious droplet transmission and improving thermal comfort, offering a promising integrated solution for healthier and more comfortable vehicle cabin environments.{\textcopyright} 2025 Elsevier Ltd.",

keywords = "Impinging jet ventilation, Droplet transmission control, Cabin thermal comfort, Fiala thermoregulation model, Equivalent homogeneous temperature model",

author = "Puyang Zhang and Mokhtar Djeddou and Xinchao Su and Guangjun Gao and Weizhen LU",

year = "2025",

month = dec,

day = "15",

doi = "10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2025.128696",

language = "English",

volume = "281, Part 2",

journal = "Applied Thermal Engineering",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - An impinging jet ventilation approach for automotive cabins

T2 - promoting coughing droplet mitigation and thermal comfort enhancement

AU - Zhang, Puyang

AU - Djeddou, Mokhtar

AU - Su, Xinchao

AU - Gao, Guangjun

AU - LU, Weizhen

PY - 2025/12/15

Y1 - 2025/12/15

N2 - This study proposes a novel Impinging Jet Ventilation (IJV) system for automotive cabins, designed to simultaneously mitigate the transmission of virus-laden droplets from coughing passengers and enhance driver thermal comfort. A numerical model, validated against real-vehicle airflow measurements, was developed to compare the proposed IJV system with a traditional dashboard-based ventilation system. The Eulerian-Lagrangian approach was employed to simulate cough droplet dispersion, while driver thermal comfort was assessed using the Fiala Thermoregulation and Equivalent Homogeneous Temperature (EHT) models. Results demonstrate that the IJV system effectively hinders droplet spread, reducing the droplet count in the frontal breathing zone to near zero within 20 s. Furthermore, it promotes a more uniform cabin temperature distribution, significantly narrowing the driver’s body surface temperature range. These improvements translate to a substantial enhancement in thermal comfort, with the Fiala Predicted Percentage Dissatisfied (PPD) and Dynamic Thermal Sensation (DTS) decreasing by 11.27% and 10.47%, respectively. In conclusion, the IJV system demonstrates superior performance in both controlling infectious droplet transmission and improving thermal comfort, offering a promising integrated solution for healthier and more comfortable vehicle cabin environments.© 2025 Elsevier Ltd.

AB - This study proposes a novel Impinging Jet Ventilation (IJV) system for automotive cabins, designed to simultaneously mitigate the transmission of virus-laden droplets from coughing passengers and enhance driver thermal comfort. A numerical model, validated against real-vehicle airflow measurements, was developed to compare the proposed IJV system with a traditional dashboard-based ventilation system. The Eulerian-Lagrangian approach was employed to simulate cough droplet dispersion, while driver thermal comfort was assessed using the Fiala Thermoregulation and Equivalent Homogeneous Temperature (EHT) models. Results demonstrate that the IJV system effectively hinders droplet spread, reducing the droplet count in the frontal breathing zone to near zero within 20 s. Furthermore, it promotes a more uniform cabin temperature distribution, significantly narrowing the driver’s body surface temperature range. These improvements translate to a substantial enhancement in thermal comfort, with the Fiala Predicted Percentage Dissatisfied (PPD) and Dynamic Thermal Sensation (DTS) decreasing by 11.27% and 10.47%, respectively. In conclusion, the IJV system demonstrates superior performance in both controlling infectious droplet transmission and improving thermal comfort, offering a promising integrated solution for healthier and more comfortable vehicle cabin environments.© 2025 Elsevier Ltd.

KW - Impinging jet ventilation

KW - Droplet transmission control

KW - Cabin thermal comfort

KW - Fiala thermoregulation model

KW - Equivalent homogeneous temperature model

U2 - 10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2025.128696

DO - 10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2025.128696

M3 - RGC 21 - Publication in refereed journal

SN - 1359-4311

VL - 281, Part 2

JO - Applied Thermal Engineering

JF - Applied Thermal Engineering

M1 - 128696

ER -

An impinging jet ventilation approach for automotive cabins: promoting coughing droplet mitigation and thermal comfort enhancement

Abstract

Funding

UN SDGs

Research Keywords

RGC Funding Information

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Other Access Options

Permanent Link

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Projects

NSFC: Study on Thermal Environment Mechanism and Energy Characteristics of High Performance Decoupled Radiant Cooling System Using Low Temperature Source

GRF: Development and Control of Stratified Micro-environments to Maximise Ventilation Performance

Cite this