A new formula for determining a minimum recommended value of inlet air velocity from UFAD system to prevent occupants from draught risk

During the winter period the natural convection flow along a cold window surface can be the cause of thermal discomfort. Warm air blown into the room near the window prevents occupants from draught risk. The paper presents a new formula for determining a minimum recommended value of inlet air velocity. A balance of a momentum flux of flow of the down draught currents and the warm air jet inflow from the UFAD (under floor air distribution) system was a base for the analytical solution. In order to estimate air movement in a typical room, numerical simulations are executed. A computational model of the room with the UFAD system is constructed within the CFD environment developed by Fluent Inc. Ten cases with varying inlet air parameters and a window U-value are considered. The analytical estimation of minimum inlet air velocity is confirmed by simulation results of temperature and velocity distributions. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.