Experimental and numerical investigation of the Reynolds number effect on indoor airflow characteristics

Abstract

ABSTRACT Nowadays, thermal comfort in an indoor environment is one of the most important aspects related to the general comfort encountered in human life. In this framework, numerous studies have been done in the aim to evaluate the parameters that affect the indoor thermal comfort. This paper focuses on a numerical investigation of Reynolds number (Re) effect on the airflow characteristics and the discomfort due to the draft for a ventilated cabin prototype. A series of numerical simulations were performed using the software ANSYS FLUENT 17.0. As observed in the numerical results, the Reynolds number has a major impact on the velocity fields, the static pressure and the turbulence characteristics. Hence, robust correlations between the velocity, the turbulence characteristics and the Reynolds number were presented. Furthermore, the numerical results highlighted that the Reynolds number has a direct impact on the discomfort due to the draft. In the median plane, the maximum value of predicted Percent Dissatisfied due to the draft (PD %) for Re = 6666 decreased by 2.7, 2.07 and 1.58 times the values reached by Re = 26666, Re = 20000 and Re = 13333 respectively. Accordingly, this paper presents the behaviour of airflow in the indoor environment that it will be useful in buildings design.