Numerical investigation of particle distribution in a floor heated room with different air change rates

Abstract

Airborne particles have a significant effect on human health in enclosed volumes like rooms and office areas. Particle distribution in these spaces should be well known to understand how heating systems may harm to human regarding to respirable particles. In this study, being a major low temperature system aiming energy efficiency, the floor heating system was examined in terms of on particle distribution in a room numerically. When particle concentration come into question, floor heating systems should be evaluated and compared with other heating choices. The effects of five different air change rates on five different particle size were investigated by finite volume method using Eulerian-Lagrangian model. In this study, the effect of drag, lift, thermophoretic and Brownian forces were considered. It is found that, air change rate is a critical factor to obtain desired indoor air quality but outdoor air conditions may worsen the indoor quality due to air pollution.