Implementation of HVAC heat transfer research into CFD software

CIBSE NVG seminar, London, 18 November 2008

Dr Yehuda Sinai Project Manager Fire, Safety & HVAC ANSYS UK Ltd.
yehuda.sinai@ansys.com

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Contents Introduction Window sub-grid model Web-enabled CFD Conclusions

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Introduction ANSYS. Developer of ANSYS family of products. Family of products includes ANSYS Mechanical (structural FE) CFX (general-purpose CFD and FSI) FLUENT (general-purpose CFD) Airpak (customised for HVAC) AUTODYN (blast, structural response) and more. This presentation will focus on CFX.
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Window sub-grid model Window assemblies involve solid & fluid conduction, fluid convection, and radiation in gas and semi-transparent solids. CFX offers CHT (Conjugate Heat Transfer). It is possible to model conduction and radiation (grey or non-grey) in glass using CFX. However, the computational cost can be excessive for multiple glazing, large windows/facades, or for a large number of windows.
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Window sub-grid model For this reason, the author has been developing 1-D sub-grid window models, for incorporation as boundary conditions in CFD. The model takes the analysis further than the obvious approximations such as U + transmission coefficient; is a combined-mode theory. Sinai, Int. J. Ventilation, Vol. 2. No. 2, 2003. The work is ongoing.
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Window sub-grid model Schematic - double glazing

T1 Fluid domain

T2 Exterior T3 Solid 1 Air gap Solid 2 L1 L2 x T4 Ta

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Window sub-grid model Grey or non-grey. Panes 1 & 2 subject to volumetric heating = Q1 & Q2 W/m3. In Solid 1 & Solid 2: Conduction + radiation. In gap and outside: Radiation and correlation for convection.
.(kT ) = Q (1)

Aim: Produce Cauchy relationship between convective flux and T1 (i.e. heat transfer coefficient).
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Window sub-grid model

Solving the conduction equation for each solid, and applying continuity of temperature & convective flux, leads to
k1 T2 k1T1 Q1L1 0 ( + h23 ) h 23 L ( L + 2 ) 1 1 Q2 L2 k2 k2 ( + h23 ) h 23 T = 2 L2 L2 3 Q2 L2 k2 k ) 0 ( 2 + h4 a ) (h4 aTa + 2 L2 L2 T4

( 2)

h23 and h4a are the convective + longwave radiation HTCs between solids 1 & 2 and between surface 4 and the ambient.
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Window sub-grid model

Solving these three equations leads to
~ ~ = U (T T ) q s 1 where
1 1 ~ ~ L L U 1 = R = 1 + 2 + + k1 k2 h23 h4 a Ts = Ta + Tr ; Tr = R11 + R22 R1 = L1 L2 1 1 ; + + + 2k1 k2 h23 h4 a R2 = L2 1 + 2k2 h4 a ( 4)

(3)

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Window sub-grid model R is recognizable as the single-mode series resistance. Ts is the effective sink/source temperature, equal to the ambient temperature plus a radiant temperature displacement. This embodies the multimode effects.

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Window sub-grid model Radiant absorption in slabs. Model can be grey or no-grey, but must account for spectral effects. Allowing for multiple reflections between slabs (E denotes due to external radiant source, qE is the incident external flux),
2 (1 ) E = 1 2 qE (1 + 1 2 + 12 2 + ...) =

1 2 qE (1 1 2 )

(5)

1 2 (2 ) E = 2 qE 1 + (1 1 2 )
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( 6)

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Window sub-grid model Similar expressions for absorption due to radiation arriving from the interior. Verification: Transparent slabs: Classical overall resistance obtained for single-mode resistances in series. Transparent slabs and vanishing slab resistances (e.g. thin slabs): T1 T2 , as it should.

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Window sub-grid model Example: Two slabs, L = 6 mm, k = 1.4 W/m/K h23 = 5 W/m2/K, h4a = 30 W/m2/K, = 0.
Qi=0, Qe=1000 W/m^2
90 80 70 60 Tr (K) 50 40 30 20 10 0 0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 Absorptivity

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Web-enabled CFD Flkt Woods has commissioned ANSYS UK Ltd. to develop two customized web-enabled CFD tools: Room ventilation (software named SimulateAir). Car park ventilation and fire. This followed validation of ANSYS-CFX against Flkt Woods own experiments (Sinai et al, ROOMVENT 2004). ANSYS UK has customized a web tool named EASA, in collaboration with EASA Ltd.
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Web-enabled CFD Problem definition is performed locally. Small quantity of data sent to server over internet, and entire process performed in batch there. ANSYS has developed a customized geometry tool. Pre-selected results, in html format, returned over web. Flkt Woods has coupled SimulateAir to IDA (a zone model).

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Web-enabled CFD
Example from SimulateAir. Chilled beams (Box Method).

Courtesy Flkt Woods

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Web-enabled CFD Example from SimulateAir.

Courtesy Flkt Woods

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Web-enabled CFD Example from SimulateAir.

Courtesy Flkt Woods

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Web-enabled CFD Car park ventilation & fire. Postulated example.

Courtesy Flkt Woods

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Acknowledgements The web-enabled tool, based on the EASA software, has been developed in collaboration with Flkt Woods, with the aid of EASA Ltd. The customization was carried out by my colleague M. Owens.

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Conclusions Whilst software and hardware improvements continue apace, challenges remain. Sub-models such as that described here will therefore continue to play a role. Web-enabled CFD simplifies the simulation process and facilitates wider usage.

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