Numerical simulation of airflow in a room with differentially heated vertical walls

Knowledge of room air distribution, including its flow and temperature characteristics, is very important to HVAC engineers. This study numerically predicts the air distribution in a room with differentially heated vertical walls. The Rayleigh number in the room is around 2.6 to approximately 3×10¹⁰. Time averaged equations of continuity, momentum, and energy are numerically solved by the finite volume method. Three turbulence models, the `standard' k-ε model, and two low-Reynolds-number k-ε models, are employed to simulate turbulent natural convection in the room. The numerical results are compared with experimental data available and other related work. Good agreement occurs between the numerical results and the experimental data. Low-Reynolds-number effects and thermal radiation between the ceiling and floor are found to have important impacts on the flow pattern and the temperature distribution.