Experimental CFD Modeling of Thermal Plumes and Green Wall Integration in Indoor Environments for Enhanced Ventilation Efficiency

Document Type

Conference Proceeding

Publication Date

1-1-2025

Abstract

Efficient ventilation in indoor environments is critical for ensuring occupant comfort, health, and productivity. Poor ventilation can lead to the accumulation of pollutants and the formation of stagnant air zones, negatively impacting indoor environmental quality (IEQ). This study investigates the impact of green walls on the behavior of human-generated thermal plumes and their subsequent effects on ventilation efficiency within a controlled indoor environment in order to identify strategies for optimizing ventilation performance considering IEQ. In this regard, a thermal manikin was used to simulate human heat emissions within a climate-controlled chamber. Data capturing the dynamics of thermal plumes were analyzed separately from measurements collected on the integrated green wall. An array of sensors was strategically positioned throughout the chamber to record environmental parameters, and simulations were performed in two sequential stages: a steady-state simulation followed by a transient one-hour ventilation-off simulation, which enabled a detailed examination of temperature and airflow dynamics under both green wall sizing conditions. Quantitative analysis was applied to assess the cooling performance differences attributable to the variation in green wall size. By integrating experimental measurements with advanced CFD simulations, this research highlights the potential of tailored green wall designs to enhance indoor temperature regulation. The results reveal that the full-sized green wall promotes a more uniform temperature distribution by effectively moderating localized heating due to occupant-generated thermal plumes, with the chamber averaging approximately 304 K (30.9°C or 87.6°F). In contrast, reducing the size of the green wall by half led to a temperature increase of about 0.56 K (around 1°F). These results highlight the importance of having enough green wall coverage for effective passive cooling and offer useful guidance for engineers, architects, and designers working to improve energy efficiency and indoor comfort in buildings.

Publication Source (Journal or Book title)

ASHRAE Transactions

First Page

588

Last Page

595

This document is currently not available here.

Share

COinS