Author(s)

O. I. Stathopoulou1 & V. D. Assimakopoulos2

Abstract

Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) codes are widely used in environmental studies of wind flow and pollutant dispersion around buildings. In recent years they have also been applied to simulations of indoor airflows for optimal building design and ventilation. However, these applications mainly concern indoor environments such as industry working areas and offices for occupational health and safety reasons. This study investigates experimentally and numerically the environmental conditions prevailing in a large mechanically ventilated athletic hall using the commercial CFD code PHOENICS. After the model was built it was compared with experimental measurements obtained during a ten-day campaign in the hall. The collected data included airflow characteristics and pollutants concentrations at different locations of the indoor space as well as the surface temperatures of indoor materials under different ventilation conditions and occupancy of the hall. Having obtained good agreement between simulated and experimental results, the environmental conditions in the hall were investigated when half-full on an \“athletic event” day and in the presence of indoor pollutants sources. Results revealed dynamic airflow, temperature and pollutant concentration patterns prevailing in the hall, significantly altering with the different scenarios applied. Airflow fields were characterized by distinct vortices originating from the ceiling air inlets of the ventilation system, while temperature and pollution stratification were observed relating to ineffective performance of the mechanical ventilation. Keywords: athletic hall, CFD model, indoor conditions, indoor air quality, athletic event.

Keywords

athletic hall, CFD model, indoor conditions, indoor air quality, athletic event.