Displacement Ventilation

by

Peter V. Nielsen,
Aalborg University

Peter V. Nielsen, Aalborg University pvn@civil.auc.dk 1

 Content of the lecture

• Introduction

• Vertical temperature gradient

• Free convection flow

• Contaminant control, zone model

• Air diffuser

Peter V. Nielsen, Aalborg University pvn@civil.auc.dk 2

 Mixing ventilation and displacement
ventilation

Mixing ventilation. Controlled

by the momentum flow from
supply openings

Displacement ventilation.
Controlled by buoyancy
(temperature differences)

Peter V. Nielsen, Aalborg University pvn@civil.auc.dk 3

 Momentum flow
Momentum flux from diffuser n = 3 h-1

Io = 0.4 N

Io = 0.02 N

Io = 0.0002 N

(Io = 0.1 N at the air change rate of

100 h-1)

Peter V. Nielsen, Aalborg University pvn@civil.auc.dk 4

 Displacement ventilation

Charateristics:

Low location of supply

opening and high
location of return opening

Free convection around heat

sources

Stratified flow in the room

Vertical temperature gradient (and vertical concentration

gradient)

Air movement is controlled by buoyancy

Peter V. Nielsen, Aalborg University pvn@civil.auc.dk 5
 Air movement in room with displacement
ventilation, 1
Horisontal air movement

Vertical air movement

Short circuit of air

Peter V. Nielsen, Aalborg University pvn@civil.auc.dk 6
 Best suited for
Displacement ventilation is usually preferable in the
following cases:

• where the contaminants are warmer and/or lighter

than the surrounding air,

• where the supply air is colder than the ambient air,

• in tall rooms, e.g. where the room heights are more

than 3 metres,

Peter V. Nielsen, Aalborg University pvn@civil.auc.dk 7

 Content of the lecture

• Introduction

• Vertical temperature gradient

• Free convection flow

• Contaminant control, zone model

• Air diffuser

Peter V. Nielsen, Aalborg University pvn@civil.auc.dk 8

 Flow Elements

Peter V. Nielsen, Aalborg University pvn@civil.auc.dk 9

 Temperature and concentration
distribution

Vertical temperature and concentration distribution in a

room with displacement ventilation

Peter V. Nielsen, Aalborg University pvn@civil.auc.dk 10

 Temperature distribtion

Vertical temperature
distribution at
different locations
in the room

Idea behind
dimensionless
description
Peter V. Nielsen, Aalborg University pvn@civil.auc.dk 11
 Simplified model for temperature
distribution
The “50%-rule” for vertical temperature distribution

Peter V. Nielsen, Aalborg University pvn@civil.auc.dk 12

 Content of the lecture

• Introduction

• Vertical temperature gradient

• Free convection flow

• Contaminant control, zone model

• Air diffuser

Peter V. Nielsen, Aalborg University pvn@civil.auc.dk 13

 Convective flows

Convective flows, the engine of displacement ventilation

Peter V. Nielsen, Aalborg University pvn@civil.auc.dk 14

 Point source and line source

The value of the coefficient k is

0,7-0,9 for pipes and ducts, 0,4-
0,6 for smaller components and
0,3-0,5 for larger machines and
components

Peter V. Nielsen, Aalborg University pvn@civil.auc.dk 15

 Free convection around a person and a
flat plate

Peter V. Nielsen, Aalborg University pvn@civil.auc.dk 16

 Source geometry

The thermal ”geometry”

can be difficult to
estimate

Peter V. Nielsen, Aalborg University pvn@civil.auc.dk 17

 Weak thermal sources

Exhalation dT/dy = 0.5°C/m

dT/dy = 0.1°C/m
Peter V. Nielsen, Aalborg University pvn@civil.auc.dk 18
 Cross Infection Problems

Source patient on the

back, ε = 70

Source patient on the

side, ε = 0.7

Peter V. Nielsen, Aalborg University pvn@civil.auc.dk 19

Qian Hua et al.

 Content of the lecture

• Introduction

• Vertical temperature gradient

• Free convection flow

• Contaminant control, zone model

• Air diffuser

Peter V. Nielsen, Aalborg University pvn@civil.auc.dk 20

 The Idea of Contaninant Control
The idea of contaminant control is to separate warm and
contaminated air below the ceiling from the fresh air
supplied at the floor

Peter V. Nielsen, Aalborg University pvn@civil.auc.dk 21

 Contaminant distribution

Peter V. Nielsen, Aalborg University pvn@civil.auc.dk 22

 Stratification

Gate open to the

height of 2.5 m

Peter V. Nielsen, Aalborg University pvn@civil.auc.dk 23

 Stratification height

Mass balance:

q0(in)
= q2 – q3

= q0(out)

Stratification height: yst ~ (q0 + q3)3/5

Peter V. Nielsen, Aalborg University pvn@civil.auc.dk 24

 Ventilation Effectiveness

- Mean ventilation effectiveness. Also called the εc

contaminant removal effetiveness

- Ventilation effectiveness of the occupied zone

also called the air quality index of the occ. zone εcoz

- Local ventilation index. Also called the local

air quality index at a given point εcP

- Personal exposure index. Also called the air εcexp

quality index of the inhaled air

Peter V. Nielsen, Aalborg University pvn@civil.auc.dk 25

 Personal exposure index
The personal exposure index can be rather high, even if the
stratification height is lower than the breathing zone

εe = cR/ce

Peter V. Nielsen, Aalborg University pvn@civil.auc.dk 26

 Content of the lecture

• Introduction

• Vertical temperature gradient

• Free convection flow

• Contaminant control, zone model

• Air diffuser

Peter V. Nielsen, Aalborg University pvn@civil.auc.dk 27

 Air Diffusers

Air supply without draught is as crucial in displacement

ventilation, as it is in mixing ventilation. Most draught
problems reported from practical experience are due
to the incorrect choice of diffuser.

Peter V. Nielsen, Aalborg University pvn@civil.auc.dk 28

 Air diffusers

Peter V. Nielsen, Aalborg University pvn@civil.auc.dk 29

 Airflow from a low velocity diffuser

Isothermal air
supply

Cold supply air. A

Supply of radial flow will often
warm air take place

Peter V. Nielsen, Aalborg University pvn@civil.auc.dk 30

 The adjacent zone
The length ln, of the adjacent zone is defined as the distance
from the diffuser to a point where the maximum velocity has
decreased to a certain value, usually 0.2 m/s.

Peter V. Nielsen, Aalborg University pvn@civil.auc.dk 31

 Radial Stratified Flow, 4
Virtual origin of the flow is
close to the diffuser

Influence of virtual
origin, xo = 0.5 m

Peter V. Nielsen, Aalborg University pvn@civil.auc.dk 32

 Stratified Flow

”Wall jet”
flow

Stratified
flow

Peter V. Nielsen, Aalborg University pvn@civil.auc.dk 33

 Length Scale, Thickness or
Depth of the Flow

The profiles can be considered to be universal. The length

scale, or depth, is the height to the velocity ux/2 = 0.5.

where

Peter V. Nielsen, Aalborg University pvn@civil.auc.dk 34

 Flow Element for Radial Flow

∫ f (η )dη
∞
qΔθ = Δθ ( x + xo ) ∫ ud y qΔθ = Δθ ( x + xo ) δu x
o o

Δθ
qΔθ = qo ebm
θo

ux 1 ebm
= K Dr where K Dr = ∞
x + xo
qo θ oδ ∫ f (η )dη
o
Peter V. Nielsen, Aalborg University pvn@civil.auc.dk 35
 KDr Values for Diffusers, 1

Six different
wall-mounted
diffusers

Peter V. Nielsen, Aalborg University pvn@civil.auc.dk 36

 KDr Values for Diffusers, 2

KDr versus product

and ”Archimedes
Number”

Peter V. Nielsen, Aalborg University pvn@civil.auc.dk 37

 Plane Stratified Flow

The flow from a number of diffusers placed close to each

other will merge into a plane, stratified flow.

The flow will also

be plane in a
narrow room.

Plane flow will also

be generated when
the diffuser has a
large spreading of
the supply air.

Peter V. Nielsen, Aalborg University pvn@civil.auc.dk 38

 Flow Elements for Plane
Stratified Flow

where

Peter V. Nielsen, Aalborg University pvn@civil.auc.dk 39

 Flow between Obstacles, 1

Flow through an opening in the occupied zone is similar

to the flow from a diffuser

Peter V. Nielsen, Aalborg University pvn@civil.auc.dk 40

 Flow between Obstacles, 2

Kob versus flow rate and

temperature difference

ux 1
Equation: = K ob
qob x

Peter V. Nielsen, Aalborg University pvn@civil.auc.dk 41