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CFD for Building and Facilities Design

By: Tommy Mello
Co-Founder: Sim Specialists LLC.
Sim Specialists
Ketivs expert simulation partner
Solve active product development challenges
Build user proficiency
Training
Customized Mentoring

Tommy Mello
Mechanical Engineer
Fluid dynamics concentration
Former engineering lead at BRNI
Company that developed the original Cfdesign technology acquired by Autodesk and known as
Simulation CFD
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Background
Capital Investment
Resources
Personnel
Hardware
Distraction
Higher priorities and responsibilities
Lack of confidence the technology can
Dont know how to get started
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Barriers to Entry
10/23/2013
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Computational Fluid Dynamics
Numerical method to virtually predict fluid flow performance
without the need for physical testing.
What is CFD?
Autodesk Sim Mechanical Autodesk Sim CFD
Simulates Solids Fluids ( + solids for thermal)
Calculates Disp, strain, stress, temp,
modal response
Velocity, pressure, density,
temperature
Equations Hookes Law {F}=[k]{x} Navier Stokes (RANS)


Examples





Navier Stokes
Software solves, not you!
Advection Scheme
Numerical transport
Turbulence models
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Dont Worry
High level predictions
Make assumptions and take liberties
Inspect local regions
Look through output files
Summary File
Fluid Energy Balance
Mass flow balance between inlets & outlets
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What you do

l
v

Re
t Q
c m
p


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Applications
Structural
Electronics
Flow Control
Building / HVAC
Lighting
Heating / Refrig
Heat Exchangers
Sustainability
Energy Consumption
Data Centers
Human Comfort

Odor Containment

Fume Hoods
Air Curtains
Clean Rooms
Smoke Control
Ducting Design
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AEC Applications
Simulation ROI

CFD Applications

Implementation

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Overview
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Processing Plant
Buhlers grain Milling Automation
Trane RTU

ROI
Capital
Operational

Cost Savings
$22,000 in RTUs
$15,625 / year



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RTU Optimization
Processing Plant
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Thermal Stratification
Extended Ductwork Return
Reduced return Temperatures by 2F
348 kw / 1M sqft.
$0.08/kWH
1,870 cooling hours

Annual savings
$52,000!

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Washington BWI Airport Terminal
Glass wall / Windows
Absorption / Transmission
Location, Date, Time
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Solar Load and Glass Wall
Inside Outside
Wall
Wall
A
b
s
o
r
b
e
d

Convect Convect
Conduction

Max Solar Energy: 910 W/m
2
Typical: 150-300
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Library
Initial Concept
Large atrium
Direct sunlight after noon

Improve performance?
ROI?
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Louver Library
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Initial Concept Louvers
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Implications
Quantity Reduced Louvers
Temperature 3F
Floor Heat Flux (w/m2) 20%
Absorption and Reflection
Solar heating occurs on less internal surface area
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Mechanism
Sustainability
Operating Costs
Simplicity
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Stack Effects
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Buoyancy
Raleigh number (Ra) determine laminar / turbulent regime (similar to Re in forced convection)
Grashof number (Gr) represents the Buoyancy vs. Viscous forces
Prandtl number (Pr) is the ratio of viscous to thermal diffusion rates
Nusselt number (Nu) is the ratio of Convection vs. Conductive heat transfer






Wind effect
Vent location
Chimney design
2013
Autodesk
Cincinnati Music Hall
24
25
2013
Autodesk
Parking Structure
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Visualize
1. Use it
Active efforts
Proficiency
Exposure
Adoption
Positive Investment
10/23/2013
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Historically
2. Loose it
Shelf-ware
Collecting Dust
Bad Investment
Why?
Business initiatives
Sustainability
Energy Consumption
Thermal Comfort
Customer request
Field Failures
Credibility building
No prototyping
Has to work the first time around
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Active Efforts
Internal
Software / Hardware
Staff
Expertise
Proficiency with tools
External
Trust
Experience
Combination
Project jump start

10/23/2013
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Current Capacity
Geometry
CAD creation or optimization for simulation
Capture design intent
Knowledge
CFD: assumption implications and validity
Turbulence models
Advection scheme
Mesh implications
Software
Inputs
Outputs
Caveats
10/23/2013
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What Does it Take?
Partnership
Some or all of project
Project jump start

Training
Fundamentals
Customized mentoring

Experience
Time & repetition
10/23/2013
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How?
Start to finish
Mentoring
Compartmentalized
On demand / as needed
Project Jump Start
Optimize geometry for simulation
Provide benchmark
Transfer technology: Empower you to explore design options
10/23/2013
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Simulation Resource
Project
CAD
Foundation of Simulation
Capture Design Intent
Analysis
Benchmark
Modifications
Design Solution
Complete & Turn in your Survey for
a chance to Win a 3DConnexion:
SpacePilot Pro
Wireless 3D Mouse
Drawing at 4:30 pm in the
Cerritos Ballroom
OR
10/23/2013
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Questions?
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Typical AEC Simulations
Mesh intensive
Large domains (lobbies, gymnasiums, stadiums) with small
details (ducting, radial diffusers)
Conjugate heat transfer
Usually thermal changes in the air have an impact.
Mixed Convection
Many situations have combined forced convection (air
conditioning) with natural convection (buoyancy effects).

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Fluid Domains for AEC
In CFD, all fluid regions (air, water) must be modeled
as a solid volume
2 options . . .
Create volume directly in CAD
Cap-no-go method
Air-tight void in model
Volume created by SimCFD
during launch

Caps used
to seal off
inner void

Caps used
to seal off
inner void

Caps used
to seal off
inner void

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AEC Modeling Options
Setup
Walls, windows
suppressed
Inside Outside
W
i
n
d
o
w

Wall
Wall
Air
Domain
Walls, windows
included
U
wall
, T
ambient
U
window
, T
ambient
Air
Domain
U
convection
, T
ambient
U
convection
, T
ambient
U
convection
, T
ambient
Conductivity, k

Conductivity, k

PREFERRED
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Typical U-factors
In CFD, the U-factor is the film coefficient, h
Location U (BTU/hr-ft
2
-R) U (W/m
2
-K)
Natural convection 1.76 10.0
Wall solid brick 0.39 1.00
Wall wood studs, R13
insulation
0.08 0.45
Window, single glass 1.10 6.24

Window, double glass,
air space
0.59 3.36
Door, 1 wood 0.64 3.64
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AEC Thermal Loads to Consider
Convection
Interior Loads:
Humans
Equipment
Lighting

Along with conducting heat, exterior windows can also let solar
energy into the inner air space.
Easier
Suppress window
Hand calc for heat flux
Solar heat gain coefficient
SGHC x Solar load
Apply heat flux and U-factor
Much Harder
Model window
Must know window properties
Set up solar radiation model
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Window Considerations
Inside Outside
Wall
Wall
A
b
s
o
r
b
e
d

Convect Convect
Conduction

Max Solar Energy: 910 W/m
2
Typical: 150-300
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The Human Factor
Human figures look cool and add a sense
of scale, but added detail = more mesh!
Avoid highly detailed figures -------------
Model groups or crowds with a block
Resistance region with total wattage applied

Humans output about 70-100 Watts of thermal energy

9x70 = 630W

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Impact of Natural Convection
Heat sources/variations in the air domain may have a
noticeable impact on the air currents.

Constant Air

Variable Air

Note thermal
stratification

Plot path

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Air material must be set to
Variable!
Solver settings
Flow and thermal must be run at
the same time
Remember to set gravity vector!
Advection 2 is preferred.
Setting up Natural Convection
Solver settings
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Adaptive Meshing
First introduced in v2013
Very adept at locally refining critical
regions such as air plumes and
recirculation.

Default Mesh

After 1 adaptation cycle

RECOMMENDED
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AEC Example: Home Office Space



100 cfm
Ambient T
P= 0

Location U
Windows 0.62
Door 0.64
Outer Wall 0.08
Ceiling 0.16
Floor 0.28
Sides and back
are inner walls;
leave as
adiabatic

70 W

Fan
(optional)

Season Ambient
(F)
Set Point
(F)
Summer 90 60
Winter 30 80
100 cfm
Ambient T
Sides and back
are inner walls;
leave as
adiabatic