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A relationship for the diffusion coefficient in eddy diffusion based indoor dispersion modelling

A relationship for the diffusion coefficient in eddy diffusion based indoor dispersion modelling
A relationship for the diffusion coefficient in eddy diffusion based indoor dispersion modelling
Turbulent or eddy diffusion models are used to predict spatially resolved exposures to toxic airborne materials in indoor environments. The single parameter that governs mixing in these models is the eddy diffusion coefficient. Some relationships that enable this coefficient to be predicted have been proposed in the literature, but wider applicability of these has not previously been tested. In this paper an automated computational fluid dynamics tool was used to calculate the eddy diffusion coefficient in a range of isothermal, mechanically ventilated rooms. Available models for the diffusion coefficient were then tested and the most applicable was found to be one based on a turbulent kinetic energy balance. This relationship was only appropriate when the characteristic length was set to a dimension of the air supply inlet, instead of the length usually applied, i.e. the room height. The validity of this relationship was further demonstrated using experimental test cases and by applying standard error metrics. The eddy diffusion approach can now be used with improved confidence in a wider range of scenarios than was possible before.
indoor dispersion, computational fluid dynamics, vapour detection, explosives, exposure
0360-1323
Foat, Timothy, Graham
eddebff8-0a58-4a9a-a2ec-45563e965245
Drodge, Joseph
1881ca4d-84de-4953-9caf-4bc47e3db05f
Nally, James
4cb8c39a-a02e-464a-aba8-3df20b77aab5
Parker, Simon
5e8a8783-3a91-4c4d-8333-358ccfbd1604
Foat, Timothy, Graham
eddebff8-0a58-4a9a-a2ec-45563e965245
Drodge, Joseph
1881ca4d-84de-4953-9caf-4bc47e3db05f
Nally, James
4cb8c39a-a02e-464a-aba8-3df20b77aab5
Parker, Simon
5e8a8783-3a91-4c4d-8333-358ccfbd1604

Foat, Timothy, Graham, Drodge, Joseph, Nally, James and Parker, Simon (2019) A relationship for the diffusion coefficient in eddy diffusion based indoor dispersion modelling. Building and Environment, 169, [106591]. (doi:10.1016/j.buildenv.2019.106591).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Turbulent or eddy diffusion models are used to predict spatially resolved exposures to toxic airborne materials in indoor environments. The single parameter that governs mixing in these models is the eddy diffusion coefficient. Some relationships that enable this coefficient to be predicted have been proposed in the literature, but wider applicability of these has not previously been tested. In this paper an automated computational fluid dynamics tool was used to calculate the eddy diffusion coefficient in a range of isothermal, mechanically ventilated rooms. Available models for the diffusion coefficient were then tested and the most applicable was found to be one based on a turbulent kinetic energy balance. This relationship was only appropriate when the characteristic length was set to a dimension of the air supply inlet, instead of the length usually applied, i.e. the room height. The validity of this relationship was further demonstrated using experimental test cases and by applying standard error metrics. The eddy diffusion approach can now be used with improved confidence in a wider range of scenarios than was possible before.

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Accepted/In Press date: 9 December 2019
e-pub ahead of print date: 13 December 2019
Keywords: indoor dispersion, computational fluid dynamics, vapour detection, explosives, exposure

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 452527
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/452527
ISSN: 0360-1323
PURE UUID: 56c51752-5158-403e-855f-7142a79c28bb
ORCID for Timothy, Graham Foat: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0001-7514-9385

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Date deposited: 11 Dec 2021 11:26
Last modified: 16 Mar 2024 14:31

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Contributors

Author: Timothy, Graham Foat ORCID iD
Author: Joseph Drodge
Author: James Nally
Author: Simon Parker

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