Experimental study of an innovative perforated air diffuser at real scale conditions

Abstract

The European regulations are demanding more than ever to reduce the energy consumption for buildings and at the same time to raise the Indoor Environmental Quality to a higher standard. This challenge implies that the occupants inside the building should benefit from at least the same thermal comfort conditions at a lower energetical cost. The purpose of this research is to improve the performance of the air diffusers ventilation devices with the purpose of obtaining a more efficient mixing of the airflow from the air diffuser towards the ambient air. In this regard, an innovative cross shaped orifices perforated panel is analysed and compared to a regular panel with circular orifices. The experimental approach was carried out in a climatic chamber. The indoor thermal comfort was assessed at the same time by means of two different experimental devices, namely a thermal manikin and Comfort Sense equipment. The equivalent temperature was assess using the thermal manikin. The panels were also evaluated from the noise levels and pressure losses points of view. By evaluating the PMV and PPD thermal comfort indexes, the results highlighted a more comfortable ambience for a specific person in the room for the cross shaped lobed perforated panel in comparison to the circular shaped perforated panel. Furthermore, it seems that the special geometry of the lobed perforated panel does not generate supplementary noise. The pressure losses of the airflow through the perforated panels were reduced as well.