Date of Award

12-2012

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Legacy Department

Civil Engineering

Committee Chair/Advisor

Blouin, Vincent

Committee Member

Klotz , Leidy

Abstract

This study investigates the conditions under which it might be possible to implement a displacement ventilation system in a residential building. An experimental study of the impact on a mechanical air conditioning system of the vertical location of the inlet and outlet vents was performed. The four ventilation configurations of low inlet high outlet, low inlet low outlet, high inlet high outlet, and high inlet low outlet were compared. These four configurations were compared under 13 different heat load scenarios in a full scale instrumented model room. It was found that, for higher heat loads, the low inlet high outlet configuration was able to maintain approximately the same temperature in the occupied region as for a lower heat load, while developing a strong two layer stratification within the room such that the outlet temperature was significantly higher than the ambient temperature in the lower occupied region of the room. This was achieved because this ventilation configuration was able to stratify the temperature within the room and force the heat into the upper unoccupied region. From this zone the outlet was able to more efficiently remove the unwanted heat. The increased outlet temperature means that the inlet temperature can be closer to the temperature required for thermal comfort meaning that less pre-cooling of air is required. The results show that, even with only a 2.5 meter ceiling height, comparable to most residential applications, the displacement ventilation configuration was able to reduce the need for mechanical conditioning. This would have a noticeable impact on the energy requirements of a residential building.

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