Doctorandus/a PhD student

Partners

KU Leuven

Promotor / Supervisor

  • Prof. dr. ir. Martine Baelmans (promotor)
  • Prof. dr. Jan Carmeliet (mede-promotor)
  • Prof. dr. M. H. (Martin) de Wit (mede-promotor) , Technische Universiteit Eindhoven
  • Prof. dr. Bert Blocken (co-promotor) , Eindhoven University of Technology, Vertigo Building 6.22

Samenvatting van het onderzoek / Summary of Research

The proper ventilation of buildings and other enclosures such as airplanes, trains, ships and cars is of primary interest in engineering with respect to human (thermal) comfort, energy efficiency and sustainability.One of the most commonly applied and studied ventilation methods is mixing ventilation, which is based on the injection of an air jet in the upper part of the room.  The dissertation consists of two parts which address current issues in mixing ventilation studies: (I) transitional mixing ventilation: generic study; (II) natural mixing ventilation:case study. Both parts consist of a combination of unique measurements and state-of-the-art Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations. 
In Part I an experimental data set of mixing ventilation at transitional slot Reynolds numbers is presented. Results of flow visualizations and Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) measurements in a reduced-scale model are shown. This unique set of experimental data is subsequently used to assess the performance of steady Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) CFD simulations in combination with a range of turbulence models for transitional mixing ventilation flow. In addition, the validity of thecommonly employed standard gradient-diffusion hypothesis for mass transport modeling is tested. 
Part II presents a case study of natural mixing ventilation in a semi-enclosed stadium in an urban area drivenby wind and buoyancy. Full-scale measurements are presented that are used to validate steady RANS CFD simulations of the airflow in and around the stadium. The validated CFD model is used to assess the current and alternative ventilation configurations, and to identify regions with higher pollutant concentrations using simulations of CO2 concentration decay. Finally, the influence of the urban surroundings and the influence of the wind direction on the air exchange rate is analyzed.

Volledige tekst van het doctoraat / full text

Examencommissie / Board of examiners

  • Prof. dr. ir. Martine Baelmans (promotor)
  • Prof. dr. Jan Carmeliet (mede-promotor)
  • Prof. dr. M. H. (Martin) de Wit (mede-promotor) , Technische Universiteit Eindhoven
  • Prof. dr. Bert Blocken (co-promotor) , Eindhoven University of Technology, Vertigo Building 6.22
  • Prof. dr. E.S.M. Nelissen (voorzitter/chairman) , Technische Universiteit Eindhoven
  • Prof. dr. Johan Meyers (secretaris/secretary)
  • Prof. dr. ir. Bart Nicolai
  • De heer Thijs Defraeye
  • Prof. dr. Arnold Janssens , Universiteit Gent
  • Prof. dr. Gert-Jan van Heijst , Technische Universiteit Eindhoven