Technical Papers and Presentations

The aim of this study is to evaluate the airflow thermal distribution inside a storehouse in different operational conditions. A warehouse of 12,600 m3 in volume is considered for fluid-dynamical and thermal analysis. Coupled Navier-Stokes and energy equations are solved considering or not considering an indoor ventilation system. The influence of a building insulation envelope has been also investigated. Several environmental external conditions have been considered considering meteorological data of a hot summer day in a Mediterranean area as reference. When airflow is driven by the buoyancy effect only, pseudo stagnant fluid-dynamical conditions are found. A slight ascensional air movement is detected, determining a remarked thermal stratification with respect to the storehouse heigh. The introduction of free-cooling ventilation by means of jet-funs located at different positions close to the roof shows an important effect in thermal distribution, well highlighting a thermal transport effect. Results also highlight that free cooling appears more efficient during the morning time. In addition, in absence of forced ventilation system, the insulation envelope makes thermal conditions worse.