Natural ventilation driven by a restricted heat source elevated to different levels

AbstractThe thermal buoyancy generated by the difference in air density in a building can drive hot-pressed natural ventilation, which is an energy-efficient means of ventilation used to obtain higher air quality. Therefore, the effect of a single-point heat source with limited sides at different heights on stratified flow was studied in a naturally ventilated room in this paper. Based on the classical plume diffusion law of an independent point heat source and the mirroring principle, a calculation model of the thermal stratification height with a restricted source elevated to different levels was derived and validated. The quantitative effects of the heat source height from the floor, the effective opening area and other factors on the natural ventilation of hot pressure were analyzed. A thresholdxT for the separation between a point source and a sidewall was defined to estimate whether the thermal plume was independent or restricted by a sidewall. And a method for calculating the thresholdxT was obtained. This research can provide a reference basis for designing natural ventilation for buildings with a restricted heat source at different levels to achieve a desired indoor environment.
Source: European Journal of Applied Physiology - Category: Physiology Source Type: research