The evolution of the temperature profile in a warm room driven by a natural ventilation flow which develops when the room is connected to a cold exterior by two openings at different vertical heights is explored. With the openings at the top and base of the room, we find the classical displacement ventilation regime provides a leading order description of the flow. With openings at the centre and top of the room, the ventilation is hybrid, with the lower part of the room being well-mixed, and the upper part being stratified by an upward displacement ventilation flow.
To predict the thermal and indoor air quality performance of vertical displacement ventilation systems using two-zone modeling, it is necessary to account for the different nature of the air flow due to thermal and contaminant mixing within these zones. Two zone modeling of vertical displacement ventilation was performed assuming piston flow in the clean zone, uniform mixing in the dirty zone, and no recirculation between the zones except via heat source plumes.