Ventilated Cavity CFD Simulation

In this foundational project, you will explore the fundamental principles of HVAC systems through a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulation of a ventilated cavity using ANSYS Fluent. This project serves as an excellent introduction to both CFD techniques and basic HVAC concepts.

Project Objectives:

Understand the basic principles of air movement in enclosed spaces.
Learn how to set up a simple CFD simulation in ANSYS Fluent.
Analyze the effects of ventilation on air flow patterns.
HVAC Principles Covered:

Natural Convection: Observe how buoyancy forces drive air movement within the cavity.
Forced Convection: Examine the impact of mechanical ventilation on air circulation.
Heat Transfer: Study the basic mechanisms of conduction and convection within the cavity.
Thermal Comfort: Evaluate how air movement affects occupant comfort.
Project Outline:

Model a simple rectangular cavity with inlet and outlet vents.

Set up boundary conditions to represent typical indoor environmental parameters.

Define material properties for air and cavity walls.

Configure and run the CFD simulation in ANSYS Fluent.

Analyze results focusing on:

Air velocity patterns
Pressure variations
Experiment with different ventilation rates and inlet/outlet positions to observe their effects on air distribution and thermal comfort.

By completing this project, you will gain practical experience in using ANSYS Fluent for HVAC applications while reinforcing your understanding of fundamental fluid dynamics principles essential to HVAC system design and analysis.