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Keywords: A three-dimensional computational uid dynamics model was used to simulate uid ow in a duct and
Duct leakage its simulated leaks with six different air leak geometries placed respectively on its periphery. The k
CFD simulation turbulence model for high Reynolds numbers ows was used for that purpose and the Reynolds numbers
Power law model
were varied to simulate a variety of ow conditions between 27,000 and 82,000. The computer code
Pressure distribution
was used to produce pressure drop data and leak ow rates across the holes necessary to compute the
Air distribution system
pressure loss coefcients, as well as to produce ow eld and static pressure plots that offer insight into
the physics of the ow eld. The ow coefcient and pressure exponent (C and n) were found for different
leak geometries by curve tting the pressure and leak ow data derived from CFD simulations and were
compared to available data in the literature.
2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
2. Model description
Corresponding author. Tel.: +1 702 895 3265; fax: +1 702 895 5013. This section presents the CFD simulations that were created and
E-mail address: samir.moujaes@unlv.edu (S. Moujaes). used for uid ow simulation for determination of ow parameters
0378-7788/$ see front matter 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.enbuild.2012.02.025
S. Moujaes, R. Gundavelli / Energy and Buildings 54 (2012) 534539 535
Nomenclature
A area, m2
C ow coefcient, m3 /s (Pa)n
k pressure loss coefcient or k-factor, dimensionless
n pressure exponent, dimensionless
P static pressure loss, Pa
Q ow rate, m3 /s
V mean velocity, m/s
Greek symbols
density, kg/m3
Fig. 5. Contours of static pressure drop (Pa) around the leak on the surface of the
duct.
3.1. Power law model
Fig. 6. Frictional pressure loss (Pa) vs. static pressure loss (Pa) due to the leak. Fig. 8. Y component of velocity (m/s) at the leak cross section in XY plane.
538 S. Moujaes, R. Gundavelli / Energy and Buildings 54 (2012) 534539
P was calculated by taking the area average of static pressures The ratio of area and perimeter is proportional to the frictional force
of all the cells in that cross section. or the wall shear stresses encountered by the ow through an open-
Q = Aleak V (2) ing. This ratio for a circular leak is lower than that of a square leak.
The mean velocities through the leak are thus lower for a circular
This velocity component is the Y component of velocity and the leak than for a square leak. The k-factor is inversely proportional
face areas of the cells on the surface of the leak were obtained from to the square of the mean velocity through the leak. Therefore the
the CFD model and V was calculated by taking the area average of k-factor for the circular leak is less than that of the square leak.
Y component of velocities of the cells on the surface of the leak. The predicted k-factors are found to increase monotonously
Values for Q and P for each case were then tted (Fig. 10) using a with increase in aspect ratio of the leak (Figs. 11 and 12).
simple curve tting model. For the range of Reynolds numbers simulated, it was found that
Each of the curves thus tted has the form of the power law the static pressure drop was fairly constant with change in aspect
model (see the power law equation for the rectangular leak of ratio of the leak. It appears that the mean velocity through the leak
aspect ratio 3 in Fig. 10). For instance, the ow coefcient, C and is reduced with increase in aspect ratio. This can again be attributed
pressure exponent, n for the rectangular leak of aspect ratio 3 are to the increase in frictional forces with the increase in aspect ratio.
0.0006 and 0.44 respectively. The values of ow coefcient and The k-factor is therefore a function of the geometry of the leak.
pressure exponent for each of the leak geometries are listed in
Table 1.
Table 1
Values of C and n for different leak geometries.
Leak geometry C n
8 However the results from Figs. 11 and 12 indicate that the k-factor
is not as sensitive in regards to the variation of the Reynolds number
keeping the aspect ratio unchanged as it is in regards to the changes
6 of aspect ratio where larger variations would exist maintaining the
same Reynolds number.
Finally it can be deduced from this basic study of several well
k-factor