Computational modeling of Thermal Plume and Aerosol Transport around a Manikin in a Room

Mazyar Salmanzadeh (1,2), Ghazanfar Zahedi (1), GOODARZ AHMADI (2)

(1) Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran. (2) Clarkson University, Potsdam

     Abstract Number: 527
     Last modified: May 13, 2010

Abstract
A computational model for studying the buoyancy driven thermal plume near a sitting, breathing heated manikin that in a room was developed. The surface mesh of a real manikin was integrated into a computational model for a ventilated room with displacement air distribution system. An Eulerian-Lagrangian approach was used for simulating the airflow field and evaluation of the trajectories of particles. The equation of particle motion that was used included the inertial, viscous drag, Saffman lift and gravity forces. The plane and volume averaged particle number concentrations in the breathing zone were evaluated and the results were compared with the earlier experimental data. The probability that entrained particles from the floor could be transported to the breathing zone of the manikin by the thermal plume around the body was also investigated. The simulation results showed that the thermal plume flow generated by the temperature gradient adjacent to the body can lead to a high concentration of suspended particle in the breathing zone. Furthermore, the plume plays an important role in transporting particles entrained from the floor from different sources to the breathing zone. The breathing distorts the local concentration in the breathing zone.