Airflow characteristics in the breathing zone of a seated person using desk incorporated pair of confluent jets as personalized ventilation - effect of supply velocities

A workplace with desk, desk incorporated personalized ventilation (PV) and a dressed thermal manikin with realistic body and surface temperature distribution were set in a test room (4.70 m x 1.62 m x 2.6 m). 15 L/s were supplied from a ceiling diffuser to ventilate the room at 26 oC air temperature.

The PV consisted of two plane jets placed beside each other (confluent jets) and along the front edge of the desk. The slots had dimensions: 0.06 m x 0.5 m (W x L). The manikin was seated upright with abdomen pressed against the front edge of the desk. The airflow supplied isothermally and upwards from the inner jet (closest to manikin) was the same, twice bigger or twice lower compared to that of the outer jet.

The mean velocity field at the breathing zone was measured by Particle Image Velocimetry: a dual cavity laser (λ = 532 nm) and a CCD camera - 35 mm lenses. Glycerol droplets (seeding) were added to the total volume air supply. The maximum absolute mean velocity measured near the manikin’s mouth was 0.25 m/s, when the two confluent jets supplied 8 L/s each.

Same velocity was measured when the inner jet was supplying 8 L/s and the outer 4 L/s. The opposite combination, i.e. outer jet 8 L/s and inner 4 L/s, resulted in lower velocity (0.13 m/s) compared to that of the free convection layer alone: 0.20 m/s. The increased velocity at the face allowed more clean air to be inhaled.