CFD, a tool for optimum airside system design inside archaeological tombs in the valley of kings

Airflow characteristics in ventilated and air-conditioned spaces play an important role toattain comfort and hygiene conditions. This paper utilizes a commercial 3D Computational FluidDynamics (CFD) model, FLUENT, to assess the airflow characteristics in ventilated and airconditioned archaeological tombs of Pharonic Kings in the Valley of the Kings in Luxor, Egypt. It isfound that the optimum airside system design can be attained, if the airflow is directed to pass all theenclosure areas before the extraction with careful selection of near wall velocities to avoid any wearor aberration of the tomb-wall paintings. Still all commonly known factors and evaluation indiceshave the shortage to describe the influence of the recirculation zones on the occupancy zone of thevisitors and also on the fresh supplied air. The mode of evaluation should assess the airflowcharacteristics in any tomb passage according to its position in the enclosure and the thermal patternand air quality. The tombs of Ramses,7th , 4th , 5th & 6th are investigated ,these are commonly known as KV1,KV2 and KV9. The present work raises several questions in the room airflow motionprediction techniques. The present paper represents the results of an ongoing evaluation of aComputational Fluid Dynamics CFD based on computer models for predicting room airflowdistribution in the tombs of the Valley of the Kings in Egypt.