The type of air distribution can greatly influence the cost of the HVAC system in addition to its performance. The degree of air movement in a space depends upon the initial outlet velocity and characteristics of the air outlet. The room temperature is greatly affected by the incoming air temperature differential. Often one must evaluate the use of larger quantities of ventilation air having an increased cost of ductwork, more expensive fan, etc. vs. using less air that is cooled creating an extra cost for refrigeration equipment.

The objective of the project is to evaluate various means to distribute supply air in industrial buildings. The researcher will construct a test model, select a CFD model, and execute physical and computational simulations to determine the thermal comfort, air distribution effectiveness, energy use, and cost of selected air distribution systems.