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U.S. Department of Energy
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Numerical simulation of airflow in a room with differentially heated vertical walls

Book ·
OSTI ID:653187
;  [1]
  1. Massachusetts Inst. of Technology, Cambridge, MA (United States). Dept. of Architecture

Knowledge of room air distribution, including its flow and temperature characteristics, is very important to HVAC engineers. This study numerically predicts the air distribution in a room with differentially heated vertical walls. The Rayleigh number in the room is around 2.6--3 {times} 10{sup 10}. Time averaged equations of continuity, momentum, and energy are numerically solved by the finite volume method. Three turbulence models, the standard {kappa}-{var_epsilon} model, and two low-Reynolds-number {kappa}-{var_epsilon} models, are employed to simulate turbulent natural convection in the room. The numerical results are compared with experimental data available and other related work. Good agreement occurs between the numerical results and the experimental data. Low-Reynolds-number effects and thermal radiation between the ceiling and floor are found to have important impacts on the flow pattern and the temperature distribution.

Sponsoring Organization:
National Science Foundation, Washington, DC (United States)
OSTI ID:
653187
Report Number(s):
CONF-980123--
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English