CFD analysis on the effect of temperature on gas distribution in indoor environment

Abstract

There are times when people are required to spend time indoors, especially due to unhealthy outdoor air quality as well during a pandemic when lockdowns are imposed. However, spending time indoors can also at times be dangerous due to the release of harmful gasses if left unchecked. This has very much to do with many parameters, among which is the indoor environment and its ventilation. The latter is affected by the way gases distribute inside the building. It is influenced by many factors such as temperature, wind, air circulation, and also ventilation system itself. The knowledge on how the gases spread in different conditions within the indoor environment can be utilized in many applications such as improving the smoke detector safety system and identifying as well as predicting the potential risks. This paper presents the investigation of the effect of different temperatures on gas distribution in an indoor environment. A three-dimensional simulation was performed of different temperature gas released in a closed room that has different ambient temperatures. The effect of temperature on the gas dispersion was observed. The results revealed that there is a significant effect of temperature on the way gas spread in the indoor environment support by the theoretical knowledge on the relationship between temperature and gas in the gas law.