An Air Terminal Device with a Changing Geometry to Improve Indoor Air Quality for VAV Ventilation Systems

Nina Szczepanik-Scislo and Jacek Schnotale
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Nina Szczepanik-Scislo: Faculty of Environmental and Power Engineering, Cracow University of Technology, 24 Warszawska Str., 31-155 Krakow, Poland
Jacek Schnotale: Faculty of Environmental and Power Engineering, Cracow University of Technology, 24 Warszawska Str., 31-155 Krakow, Poland

Energies, 2020, vol. 13, issue 18, 1-20

Abstract: This study aimed to develop a new concept for an air terminal device for a VAV (variable air volume) ventilation system that would improve overall ventilation efficiency under a varying air supply volume. In VAV systems, air volume is modified according to the thermal load in each ventilated zone. However, lowering the airflow may cause a lack of proper air distribution and lead to the degradation of hygienic conditions. To combat this phenomenon, an air terminal device with an adapting geometry to stabilize the air throw, such that it remains constant despite the changing air volume supplied through the ventilation system, was designed and studied. Simulations that were performed using the RNG k–ε model in the ANSYS Fluent application were later validated on a laboratory stand. The results of the study show that, when using the newly proposed terminal device with an adaptive geometry, it is possible to stabilize the air throw. The thermal comfort parameters such as the PMV (predicted mean vote) and PPD (predicted percentage of dissatisfied) proved that thermal comfort was maintained in a person-occupied area regardless of changing airflow though the ventilation system.

Keywords: VAV ventilation systems; indoor air quality; air terminal device geometry (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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