Experimental and numerical analysis of natural ventilation with combined light/vent pipes

Abstract

Both experimental and numerical procedures were developed for studying natural ventilation in combined light/vent pipes. An experimental tracer gas technique was used to measure ventilation rates in a test cell. Two different pipe terminals were simultaneously used, dividing the cell in two identical volumes, in order to allow a direct comparison of their performance. A 3D numerical model was developed using ANSYS5.5/FLOTRAN. Experimental and numerical results are shown and compared. It is concluded that pipe terminals significantly enhance ventilation, that one type of terminal has a better performance and that the numerical model underestimates measured flows.