Information on thermal plume characteristics is essential for designing ventilation systems with displacement air supply. Empirical, analytical and computational fluid dynamics are the commonly used approaches to evaluate air temperatures, velocities and airflow rates in thermal plumes above different heat sources. However, only limited information is available on the behavior of thermal plumes in rooms with a temperature gradient along the room height.
Condensation on the surfaces of diffuser and cold air dumping are the two major concerns in the application of cold air distribution brought about by the high temperature difference between supply air and room air. Condensation will form if the surface temperature of the diffuser is lower than the dew point temperature of ambient air. The presence of surface condensation can promote growth of unhealthy and smelly mold, and produce unwelcome damage of a structural and/or aesthetic nature. Cold air dumping is a major factor that detracts from thermal comfort in an airconditioned room.
CFD simulation of airflow and temperature field in a heated room has been described in the paper. The tracking of pollutant particle movement is also presented here. The comparisons between computation and experiment show good and acceptable agreement. It can be concluded that CFD prediction can capture the main features of convective flow and provide satisfactory results. It can be seen that the thermal wall jet created by radiator greatly influences airflow pattern, temperature and pollutant particle distribution in the heated room.
Login