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The uncontrolled flow of cabin air into the aircraft envelope caused by indoor-outdoor temperature gradients and associated stack pressure differentials causes cabin air to circulate between the cabin and the envelope, producing condensation on the cold fuselage behind the insulation with a number of adverse consequences. These include an inability to practically maintain cabin humidity at normal levels, a reduction in ventilation effectiveness, microbial growth, metal corrosion and structural failures, insulation performance degradation, thermal discomfort, increased engine noise transmission, additional fuel consumption and electrical failures and fires.

The development of ventilation and filter design criteria to limit exposures to airborne infectious aerosols requires knowledge of infectious aerosol generation and inhalation rates, ventilation and filtration/kill rates, ventilation efficiency, occupancy spatial volumes and exposure times. This study calculates respirable infectious aerosol exposure and normal at rest inhalation quantities by a group of persons using in-practice values for these spatial and HVAC parameters and an assumed influenza aerosol generation rate from the normally exhaled breath of one ill person for eight settings including both narrow and wide-body aircraft.