Numerical determination of the effective depth for single-sided natural ventilation.

This paper describes a numerical method for the determination of the effective depth of fresh air distribution in rooms with single-sided natural ventilation. The numerical method involves predicting air flow and the local mean age of air. The renormalisation group two-equation model of turbulence is used with the conservation equations of mass, momentum and energy to predict turbulent buoyancy-induced room air flow. The local mean age of air is then obtained from the solution of air flow equations together with the transport equation for the age of air. The predicted air flow pattern, temperature distribution and local mean age of air are used to determine the effective depth for a room with a window opening for summer cooling. The effect of window opening level on the effective depth in investigated.