International Journal of Nonlinear Analysis and Applications

A modified zone model for investigating the airflow patterns in unified spaces with natural convection

Document Type : Special issue editorial

Authors

Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran

Abstract

Predicting the air flow pattern with proper accuracy and speed inside a building with natural ventilation is one of the important study topics of building design due to the economic importance of energy consumption. For this purpose, in this study, a chamber with certain dimensions and with natural connection has been investigated as a study sample to predict the air flow pattern and speed distribution with the help of regional models. Two air inlet and outlet valves were considered for natural air ventilation. After researching the previous models, the three-dimensional zone model coupled with heat transfer and air flow calculations (ZAER) was chosen as the basis for comparing the modeling results. In the following, after zoning, to improve the flow coefficient factor model, which is assumed to be a constant number, it was assumed to be variable and the results were recorded in different states. The behavior of the model has been checked in the flow coefficients between 0.3 and 1 in order to obtain the most optimal coefficient for the number of suitable cells. Comparing the results of the research with the results of other models and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) showed that the three-dimensional behavior of the flow shows better compatibility with the experimental researches.

Keywords

[1] F. Allard and C. Inard, Natural and mixed convection in rooms: Prediction of thermal stratification and heat transfer by zonal models, Proc. ASHRAE Conf. Room Air Convect. Ventil. Effect., Tokyo, Japan, 1992, pp. 335–342.
[2] Y. Boukhris, L. Gharbi, and N. Ghrab-Morcos, Simulating air flow, with a zonal model, for natural convection, Int. J. Ventil. 7 (2008), no. 3, 207–219.
[3] C.G. Broyden, A class of methods for solving nonlinear simultaneous equations, Math. Comput. 19 (1965), no. 92, 577–593.
[4] L. Gharbi, N. Ghrab-Morcos, and J.J. Roux, ZAER: A zonal model for heat transfer and air flow in unconditioned buildings.- An experimental validation, Int. J. Ventil. 3 (2004), no. 1, 11–20.
[5] F. Haghighat and A.C. Megri, A comprehensive validation of two airflow models-COMIS and CONTAM, Indoor air 6 (1996), no. 4, 278–288.
[6] H. Hu, H. Wang, Z. Zou, and J. Zhu, Investigation of comparison of two stratified air-conditioning systems, Energy Build. 254 (2022), 111602.
[7] B. Lan, Z.J. Yu, P. Zhou, and G. Huang, Optimal zoning for building zonal model of large-scale indoor space, Build. Envir. 225 (2022), 109669.
[8] X. Li, W. Wu, and C.W.F. Yu, Energy demand for hot water supply for indoor environments: Problems and perspectives, Indoor Built Envir. 24 (2015), no. 1, 5–10.
[9] Y. Lu, J. Dong, Z. Wang, Y. Wang, Q. Wu, L. Wang, and J. Liu, Evaluation of stack ventilation in a large space using zonal simulation and a reduced-scale model experiment with particle image velocimetry, J. Build. Engin. 34 (2021), 101958.
[10] Y. Lu, J. Dong, and J. Liu, Zonal modelling for thermal and energy performance of large space buildings: A review, Renew. Sustain. Energy Rev. 133 (2020), 110241.
[11] Y. Lu, Z. Wang, J. Liu, and J. Dong, Zoning strategy of zonal modeling for thermally stratified larg spaces, Build. Simul. 14 (2021), 1395–1406.
[12] A.C. Megri, Building load and energy simulation programs and the design process, Int. J. Ventil. 6 (2007), 177–192.
[13] A.C. Megri and F. Haghighat, Zonal modeling for simulating indoor environment of buildings: Review, recent developments, and applications, Hvac &R Res. 13 (2007), no. 6, 887–905.
[14] A.C. Megri and Y. Yu, New calibrated zonal model (POMA) for temperature and airflow predictions, Build. Envir. 94 (2015), 109–121.
[15] G. Meurant, Computer Solution of Large Linear Systems, Elsevier, 1999.
[16] R. Teodosiu, D. David, C. Teodosiu, G. Rusaouen, V. Ilie, and C.-K. Nguyen, Experimental and numerical investigation of mechanically ventilated rooms, Energy Procedia 112 (2017), 252–260.
[17] US Department of Energy, Energy PlusTM version 9.3.0 documentation –engineering reference, US Department of Energy, 2020.
[18] H. Yamasawa, T. Kobayashi, T. Yamanaka, N. Choi, M. Cehlin, and A. Ameen, Prediction of thermal and contaminant environment in a room with impinging jet ventilation system by zonal model, Build. Envir. 221 (2022), 109298.
International Journal of Nonlinear Analysis and Applications
Volume 15, Issue 8
August 2024
Pages 195-204
  • Receive Date: 28 February 2023
  • Revise Date: 20 April 2023
  • Accept Date: 08 May 2023