Uniform Floor Heating System CFD Simulation

This project focuses on simulating and analyzing the performance of a uniform floor heating system in a completely closed room using ANSYS Fluent CFD. The emphasis is on natural convection and the ideal gas model to accurately represent air behavior. The aim is to understand how floor heating affects temperature distribution and air circulation patterns within an enclosed space, considering the buoyancy-driven flows that arise from the heated floor surface.

Project Objectives:

Understand the principles of natural convection in a closed environment with floor heating.
Analyze temperature distribution and airflow patterns in a sealed room with uniform floor heating.
Evaluate the heating effectiveness of the floor heating system using the ideal gas model for air.
Assess the impact of natural convection on thermal stratification in a closed space.
Project Outline:

Model a simple, closed rectangular room with a uniform floor heating system.

Ensure the room is completely sealed without windows, doors, or other openings.
Define boundary conditions:

Heated floor surface temperature or heat flux
Adiabatic conditions for walls and ceiling (assuming perfect insulation)
Set up material properties:

Use the ideal gas model for air to accurately capture density variations with temperature
Define appropriate properties for the room surfaces and the heated floor
Configure and run the CFD simulation in ANSYS Fluent:

Implement the Boussinesq approximation or full buoyancy model for natural convection
Use appropriate turbulence models suitable for natural convection flows in enclosed spaces
Consider both steady-state and transient simulations to capture heating dynamics
Analyze simulation results, focusing on:

Temperature distribution throughout the closed room
Airflow patterns and velocities driven by natural convection
Heat transfer rates from the floor to the room air
Thermal stratification effects in the absence of external influences
Evaluate the heating performance of the floor heating system:

Analyze time taken to reach steady-state temperature distribution
Assess uniformity of heating across the space
Examine the development and structure of convection cells in the closed environment
Investigate thermal comfort levels, considering the vertical temperature gradient characteristic of floor heating in a sealed space.

Visualize the results using ANSYS post-processing tools to create informative graphics and animations of temperature and airflow patterns, highlighting the natural convection phenomena in a closed system.

Conduct a parametric study to understand the influence of key factors:

Vary floor temperature to observe changes in convection patterns
Adjust room dimensions to see effects on air circulation and stratification
Modify surface emissivities to assess impact on radiant heat transfer
Discuss the implications of natural convection in a closed floor heating system:

Energy efficiency considerations in a sealed environment
Potential for temperature non-uniformities and their causes
Limitations and challenges of heating a completely closed space
By completing this project, you will gain valuable insights into the dynamics of natural convection in floor heating systems within a closed environment, and the application of the ideal gas model in CFD simulations. This knowledge is crucial for understanding heat transfer and fluid flow in sealed spaces. The CFD simulation skills acquired will enable you to analyze complex thermal scenarios in enclosed environments, contributing to a deeper understanding of heating dynamics in controlled spaces.