CFD study of flow in natural rubber smoking-room: 1. Validation with the present smoking-room

A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method was used to investigate the velocity and temperature distributions in an empty natural rubber smoking-room. The experimental data were used to validate the CFD model including temperatures and velocities at various positions. It was found that the results from the CFD simulation and experiments are in good agreement. Temperature difference in the room between simulation and experiment was typically in the range of 0.12-4.46 degrees C, and differences of average velocity at the inlet and at the outlet of the smoking-room between simulation and experiment were about 0.22 and 0.02 m/s, respectively. Furthermore, the CFD technique was employed to investigate the temperature and velocity distributions in an existing rubber smoking-room filled with rubber sheets. It was found that the temperature difference can be as high as 15 degrees C and that velocity distributions within the smoking-room are non-uniform. It can be concluded that the size and positions of the gas supply ducts and the ventilating lids are not optimal and that they significantly affect the circulation of hot gas in the room. (C) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.