Comparison of the performance of different mixing ventilation configurations in particle removal from indoor spaces

Abstract

Re-suspended particles  from indoor sufaces present a real  threat  to  occupants.  The  ventilation  system  plays  a primordial  role  in  enhancing  the  indoor  air  quality.  A CFD  model  was  developed  to  compare  particle  removal effectiveness     of     variable     mixed     air     distribution configurations.  A  parametric  study  was  performed  to assess the effect of two main factors affecting the airflow pattern:   the   relative   inlet/outlet   location   and   suction velocity. It was found that the mixing ventilation configuration with floor outlets located at middle of the walls presented the  best  performance  due  to  the  creation  of  a  suction effect  covering  the  majority  of  the  floor  area  leading  to high  removal  effectiveness.  Furthermore,  increasing  the suction  velocity  strengthened  the  suction  effect  resulting in  better  particle  removal  by  the  escape  of  a  larger number of particles generated at floor level.