Whole Building CFD Simulation of a Swedish Low-Energy Building

When taking measures to increase energy effectiveness it is important not to deteriorate theindoor climate. In the present study a Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) model was builtto investigate temperature and airflow patterns in a Swedish low-energy building. A full-scalemodel of the house has been generated in the commercial code Icepak 4.1. The commercialCFD code Fluent 6.2.16 is used for the numerical solution. The RNG k-e model is used asturbulence model. Four cases were simulated representing Winter, Summer and Autumnclimatic conditions, the last with both low and high airflow rates. The results are comparedwith measured air temperatures and velocities. The results show small temperature gradientsin the rooms and small temperature differences between floor levels. The air velocities aregenerally less than 0.15 m/s in the whole building.