Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-hc48f Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-22T15:23:58.753Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Air exchange through doorways. The effect of temperature difference, turbulence and ventilation flow

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 May 2009

O. M. Lidwell
Affiliation:
Central Public Health Laboratory, Colindale Avenue, London NW9 5HT
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

Analytical expressions have been derived for the exchange of air across doorways or similar apertures, in terms of the temperature difference between the spaces on both sides of the opening and the net volume of air flowing through this as a result of unbalanced air supply or extract. A simple allowance for turbulence which gives reasonable correspondence with observation is included. The formulae, which assume complete air mixing on both sides of the doorway up to the plane of the aperture, predict outflows from the warmer side, when there is an excess air supply to this side, which are progressively smaller than those observed as the temperature difference rises above 2–3 °C and the volume of excess air supply increases to produce an averaged outflow velocity greater than 0·1–0·15m/s. This seems to be due to lack of mixing of the warm outflowing air with the cooler air mass. A correction factor for this can be deduced as a function of the pressure difference due to the excess air supply. The limiting magnitude and general form of this function are compatible with a simple theoretical model of the air flow patterns involved.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1977

References

REFERENCES

Foord, N. & Lidwell, O. M. (1975 a). Airborne infection in a fully air conditioned hospital. I. Air transfer between rooms. Journal of Hygiene 75, 15.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Foord, N. & Lidwell, O. M. (1975 b). Airborne infection in a fully air conditioned hospital. II. Transfer of airborne particles between rooms resulting from the movement of air from one room to another. Journal of Hygiene 75, 31.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lidwell, O. M. (1975). Airborne infection in a full air-conditioned hospital. III. Transport of gaseous and airborne particulate material along ventilated passageways. Journal of Hygiene 75, 45.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Shaw, B. H. (1972). Heat and Mass Transfer by Natural Convection and combined Natural Convection and Forced Air Flow through large rectangular openings in a vertical partition. Institute of Mechanical Engineers Conference Volume C819.Google Scholar
Shaw, B. H. & Whyte, W. (1974). Air movement through doorways–the influence of temperature and its control by forced air flow. Building Services Engineer. December.Google Scholar
Shaw, B. H. (1976). Heat and mass transfer by convection through large rectangular openings in vertical partitions. Thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Glasgow.Google Scholar
Whyte, W. & Shaw, B. H. (1972). Air movement in isolation and treatment rooms with respect to air flow through doorways. Report to Dept. of Health and Social Security, Building Services Research Unit, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Glasgow.Google Scholar