Upward Ventilation Research Articles

Impact of Gas Accumulation on the Stability of Parallel Upward Ventilation in High-Temperature Sloped Shafts of Deep Wells

To explore the causes and influencing factors of wind flow oscillations in high-temperature inclined aisles of deep wells under parallel upward ventilation, this study conducts a comprehensive investigation using theoretical analysis and numerical simulations. Based on the kinetic analysis of gas flow, a discriminant formula for wind flow reversal in the side branch is derived. Further analysis identifies initial wind speed and branch length as key factors influencing the reversal. Both gas pressure and thermal pressure contribute to wind flow reversal in the side branch, and the opposing directions of these pressures cause high-temperature gas to periodically flow between the two branches, resulting in wind flow oscillations. A higher initial wind speed can effectively reduce the oscillation amplitude due to increased initial kinetic energy and a larger pressure difference, but it does not extend the oscillation duration. Increasing the branch length can suppress wind flow oscillations by increasing airflow frictional resistance and damping.

Alternating ventilation accelerates the mineralization and humification of food waste by optimizing the temperature-oxygen-moisture distribution in the static composting reactor

Traditional unidirectional ventilation often leads to the loss of heat and moisture during composting, disrupting the favorable microenvironment required for aerobic microbes. This study developed a pulse alternating ventilation composting reactor and investigated the effects of alternating ventilation on composting efficiency compared with upward ventilation and downward ventilation. The results demonstrated that alternating ventilation stabilized the moisture content at approximately 60 % while reducing the temperature and oxygen concentration range within the reactor. Moreover, it extended the duration of high-temperature (>50 °C) by 31 % and 75 % compared to other two groups. It improved the microbial cooperation intensity and stimulated the core microbe (Tepidimicrobium). Seed germination index (GI) of the compost was improved (GI = 91.27 %), and the humic acid content was 1.23 times and 1.37 times higher than other two groups. These results showed that alternating ventilation can be used for efficient resource disposal of food waste.

Quantitative evaluation of precautions against the COVID-19 indoor transmission through human coughing

In this work, we focus on the dispersion of COVID-19-laden droplets using the transient computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling and simulation of the coughing process of virus carriers in an enclosure room, aiming to set up the basic prototype of popular precautionary strategies, i.e., face mask, upward ventilation, protective screen, or any combination thereof, against the indoor transmission of COVID-19 and other highly contagious diseases in the future. A multi-component Eulerian–Lagrangian CFD particle-tracking model with user-defined functions is utilized under 8 cases to examine the characteristics of droplet dispersion concerning the mass and heat transfer, droplet evaporation, air buoyancy, air convection, air-droplet friction, and turbulent dispersion. The result shows that implementing upward ventilation is the most effective measure, followed by wearing face masks. Protective screens can restrict the movement of the coughing droplets (though it will not reduce viral load). However, applying protective screens arranged with lean can be counterproductive in preventing the spread of COVID-19 when it is inappropriately placed with ventilation. The soundest solution is the combination of the face mask and upward ventilation, which can reduce the indoor infectious concentration by nearly 99.95% compared with the baseline without any precautionary strategies. With the resumption of school and work in the post-epidemic era, this study would provide intelligence-enhancing advice for the masses and rule-makers to curb the pandemic.

Dynamic distribution and prevention of spontaneous combustion of coal in gob-side entry retaining goaf.

The 11101 working face of Qipanjing Mine was taken as the research object to explore the dynamic change law of the spontaneous combustion of the remaining coal in the gob-side entry retaining goaf area. A sealed oxygen consumption experiment was conducted to determine the (critical) oxygen volume fraction in the suffocation zone and continuous oxygen consumption rate of coal samples. The parameters of the working face were measured on site, and the air volume fraction in the goaf was monitored using a beam tube. Considering upward ventilation and the effect of gravity, a UDF control program for the falling medium in the gob-side entry retaining goaf was written. Based on the experimental results, a control program for the continuous oxygen consumption rate of the remnant coal was compiled, the dynamic distribution of the flow field in the gob-side entry retaining goaf was simulated with different advancing positions and air leakage at the working face, and a prediction model for the spontaneous combustion danger area was established. Finally, fire prevention measures via grouting in the return air lane side and nitrogen injection in the retaining lane side were put forward. The results showed that with the variation in the advancing position of the working face or in the air leakage of the air intake lane, the range of the natural hazardous area of the gob-side entry retaining goaf presents a distribution with a power function SF = xn+b (0 < n < 1). The theoretically proposed fire-fighting measures can effectively reduce the risk of spontaneous combustion of coal.

The combined effects of methane draft pressure and heat wind pressure on airflow behavior in parallel roadways: an experimental study

ABSTRACT Most previous studies have mainly investigated the independent effect of methane draft pressure (MDP) or heat wind pressure (HWP) on airflow behavior in tilted ventilated roadways. However, once high concentrations of methane accumulate in a high-temperature-tilted roadway in deep wells, two additional forces – the MDP and the HWP – are generated simultaneously. To investigate the combined impacts of MDP and HWP on airflow characteristics (i.e., the wind speed, oxygen concentration, and airflow temperature) in parallel roadways, a 1/30 experimental platform equipped with a heating device that can adjust airflow temperature is constructed. With an inclination angle of 60°, airflow direction changes several times in upward ventilation, while airflow direction remains unchanged throughout the experiment in downward ventilation, and the curves of the wind speed in both branches show roughly the same trends but in opposite directions. The experimental results indicate that the height difference is a necessary factor for the generation of MDP and HWP and that the combined effects of MDP and HWP lead to a phenomenon of airflow oscillation in upward ventilation while resulting in airflow circulation in downward ventilation. In addition, the airflow temperature in the main branch is varied (from 45°C to 15°C, 25°C, and 35°C) to investigate its influence on airflow behavior in upward ventilated tilted roadways. As airflow temperature in the main branch increases, the maximum and minimum wind speeds measured in the main branch remain unchanged, and the corresponding values are 0.79 m/s and 0.08 m/s, respectively; the values of wind speed in the side branch stabilize at the early stage of ventilation as well. It can be concluded that airflow behavior changes slightly as airflow temperature increases when the main branch is filled with high concentrations of methane because the density difference caused by high concentrations of methane is more significant than that caused by small temperature differences.

Influence of gas ventilation pressure on the stability of airways airflow

Coal mine ventilation is an extremely complicated system that can be affected by many factors. Gas ventilation pressure is one of important factors that can disturb the stabilization of airflow in airways. The formation and characteristics of gas ventilation pressure were further elaborated, and numerical simulations were conducted to verify the role of gas ventilation pressure in the stability of airway airflow. Then a case study of airflow stagnation accident that occurred in the Tangshan Coal Mine was performed. The results show that under the condition of upward ventilation, the direction of gas ventilation pressure in the branch is the same to that of the main fan, airflow of the branches beside the branch may be reversed. The greater the gas ventilation pressure is, the more obvious the reversion is. Moreover, reversion sequence of paralleled branches is related to the airflow velocity and length of the branch. Under the condition of downward ventilation, the airflow in the branch filled with gas may be reversed. Methane in downward ventilation is hard to discharge; therefore, accumulation in downward ventilation is more harmful than that in upward ventilation.

Airflow stabilization in airways induced by gas flows following an outburst

This paper addresses airflow stabilization in airways induced by outburst gas flows after the disappearance of the outburst shockwave. Based on fluid dynamics theory, a mathematical model of an unsteady airflow in an airway was established. The formation conditions of additional force and gas ventilation pressure with their dynamic influences on airflow in an airway were investigated. The results of this study indicate that an additional force is created by the variation of the airflow rate after outbursts, and this force hinders changes to the airflow and maintains the airflow in its original state of motion. The gas ventilation pressure can be observed as an increase in the potential energy after coal and gas outbursts. For upward ventilation, the direction of gas ventilation pressure is positive and assists the ventilation. However, for downward ventilation, the direction of gas ventilation pressure is negative and hinders the ventilation. This hindrance may lead to an airflow reversal in the main airway.

Numerical investigation on the airflow characteristics and thermal comfort in buoyancy-driven natural ventilation rooms

Numerical simulations are conducted to model the transient development of the buoyancy-driven natural ventilation. The simulations are compared with experimental data and theoretical predictions in the literature to validate the numerical model. The airflow behavior of three cases, i.e., the initial indoor temperature is equal to, higher and lower than the outdoor temperature, were analyzed by the numerical results, respectively. The results show that transient flow development of the last case is relatively complex in naturally ventilated rooms with inner heat sources due to the transformation from downward ventilation to upward ventilation. Vent area, heat source power and vertical position of the source are the main factors affecting the airflow rate, vertical temperature difference in the occupied zone and indoor thermal comfort, while the vent shape and the horizontal position of heat source on the floor seem to have marginal influence on the transient natural ventilation. In addition, initial indoor temperature is also a crucial factor influencing the establishment of steady state of the transient ventilation besides the vent and heat source characteristics.

A novel evacuation passageway formed by a breathing air supply zone combined with upward ventilation

With the development of transportation, the tunnel has become one of the important facilities of railway, highway and subway transportation. However, fire hazards occurring inside the tunnel may incur huge numbers of casualties and property losses. In this paper, a breathing air supply zone combined with an upward ventilation assisted tunnel evacuation system (BTES) is introduced. It can be used to create a safe, smoke-free evacuation passageway out of the tunnel. The BTES is optimized to achieve high-performance. The impacts of heat release rates, fire source locations and fire detection times are also discussed.The carbon monoxide (CO) concentrations found when utilizing the BTES were significantly lower than that found when utilizing the traditional ventilation system. An obvious, clean evacuation passageway was created by the BTES. The maximum CO concentrations in the BTES evacuation passageway were below 10 PPM throughout the entire combustion process. A larger CO concentration gradient in the vertical direction was detected with the BTES than that found in other ventilation systems. This finding means that the lower part of the tunnel has a lower CO concentration with the BTES, which benefits the evacuation process. The impacts of fire source locations and fire detection times were tested to ensure the system reliability, and it was found that the performance of the BTES was not sensitive to them.

Study on particle deposition in vertical square ventilation duct flows by different models

A proper representation of the air flow in a ventilation duct is crucial for adequate prediction of the deposition velocity of particles. In this paper, the mean turbulent air flow fields are predicted by two different numerical models (the Reynolds stress transport model (RSM) and the realizable k– ε model). Contours of mean streamwise velocity deduced from the k– ε model are compared with those obtained from the Reynolds stress transport model. Dimensionless deposition velocities of particles in downward and upward ventilation duct flows are also compared based on the flow fields presented by the two different numerical models. Trajectories of the particles are tracked using a one way coupling Lagrangian eddy-particle interaction model. Thousands of individual particles are released in the represented flow, and dimensionless deposition velocities are evaluated for the vertical walls in fully developed smooth vertical downward and upward square duct flows generated by the RSM and realizable k– ε model. The effects of particle diameter, dimensionless relaxation time, flow direction and air speed in vertical upward and downward square duct flows on the particle deposition velocities are discussed. The effects of lift and gravity on the particle deposition velocities are evaluated in vertical flows presented by the RSM. It is shown that the particle deposition velocities based on the RSM and realizable k– ε model have subtle differences. The flow direction and the lift force significantly affect the particle deposition velocities in vertical duct flows. The simulation results are compared with earlier experimental data and the numerical results for fully developed duct flows. It is shown that the deposition velocities predicted are in agreement with the experimental data and the numerical results.