Modelling and experimental study of performance of the protected occupied zone ventilation

The main objective of this study is to develop theoretical models to predict the performance of a new type of air distribution method known as protected occupied zone ventilation (POV), and to validate the model by conducting experimental measurements. The goal is to find out experimentally the most effective and efficient way of airflow distribution to protect occupants from infection of epidemic respiratory disease. Experimental measurements were performed under three setup conditions, including exhaust at sidewall, exhaust above the protected occupied zone and with partitions in the middle of the room. Two models are developed in this study to predict the transient pollutant concentration in the protected zone and the polluted zone. The protection efficiency of POV is defined in this study as well, which varies from 8% to 50% depending on the exhaust location, supply air velocity and the usage of partitions. The calculated results by using the models agree with the measurement results with a slot Reynolds number of 667, 1000 and 1167. The POV can separate the protected zone from the polluted zone by up to 2800 ppm. The capacity of a POV system to separate the room into two zones with different concentration levels of contaminant indicates that the POV may protect people from infection of epidemic respiratory disease via a cross-contaminant inside a room. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.