Engineering

Flow Simulation Zumtobel, A

Use of a spatial airflow simulation to investigate the comfort criteria of the ventilation of a machine hall

As part of the preliminary design process, an airflow simulation with a special focus on spatial temperature and airflow speeds was used to investigate the ventilation of a machine hall. The effectiveness of displacement ventilation was tested and evaluated with the objective of creating comfortable conditions between machines with sometimes very high surface temperatures (approx. 350°C).

The simulation assumed that the machine hall was ventilated using displacement ventilation with a maximum airflow speed immediately after the inflow of around 0.2 m/s. Thermodynamic laws told us that the relatively high internal loads (the heat given off by the machines) should result in the transportation of this air to layers high above the working area (0-2m above the finished floor).

The simulation pointed to a maximum air speed of 0.5m/s above the mass cylinder (the heat source) of the injection molding machine. Such speeds are a result of natural lift (thermal) and are vital for the transfer of the heat given off by the production process to layers above the working level. The natural lift of this exhaust heat, supported by the displacement ventilation, guaranteed an air temperature at this working level of around 23°C.

Services:

• Dynamic thermal building simulation
• Wind simulation