airpath

Airpath (also written air path or airflow path) is a general term for the route followed by air through a system or environment. It describes the physical channels, passages, and open spaces that direct movement of air, and is used across engineering, building services, transportation, and biological contexts to refer to how air is conveyed, conditioned, or exchanged.

In building services and HVAC, airpath refers to the ducts, plenums, vents, filters, and openings that control ventilation, heating and cooling distribution, and indoor air quality. In aerospace and automotive engineering it describes the flow route over and through components such as wings, intakes, and cooling systems; designers use airpath concepts to manage pressure, lift, drag, and thermal exchanges. In acoustics and consumer products, airpath design can affect sound propagation and device performance (for example in loudspeakers or hearing aids). In medicine and physiology, a related concept describes the airway path through the respiratory tract, though the preferred terms are airway or respiratory tract.

Key considerations when designing or analyzing an airpath include flow rate, pressure drop, turbulence, filtration, thermal transfer, and noise. Tools for assessment range from empirical measurement (anemometers, manometers) to computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling. Proper airpath design is important for energy efficiency, comfort, equipment performance, safety, and regulatory compliance.