Impact of Air Velocity on Mold Growth in High Temperature and Humidity Conditions: An Experimental Approach

Abstract

To address the challenges of indoor mold in southern China, this study designed and constructed an innovative experimental system to investigate mold growth in buildings under the combined influence of multiple factors. Using Fluent simulation (Ansys Fluent 19.0), we designed a suitably sized experimental chamber to realistically replicate the effects of factors such as temperature, humidity, and air velocity on mold growth. After establishing and fine-tuning the experimental system, we conducted two preliminary experiments, successfully validating the feasibility of our setup. Additionally, we observed that in a high-temperature, high-humidity environment of 28 °C and 80% relative humidity, the mold growth rate in the experimental chamber increased with the rise in inlet air velocity. This experimental system will serve as the foundation for future studies on indoor mold growth in building spaces in southern China.