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Date
Fall 2012
Disciplines
Architecture
Abstract
The primary method for cooling is through the ventilation system during winter. HVAC studies were done using computational fluid dynamic models by the engineers. They predict that heat will be transported by convective air currents that rise from the floor, through an “occupation zone” to the ceiling and then exhausted through the ceiling air plenum. Although the air is distributed relatively evenly through floor-mounted diffusers, it is unknown how evenly the heat flow through the office space is actually functioning. Therefore, a distributed network of sensors was found to be the best approach to sample air temperature from many points in space. The most important aspect of this post occupancy evaluation and data collection methodology was the establishment of the sensor grid. Air stratification is commonly measured using air temperature and humidity sensors that take measurements at different heights in a space. By collecting data at several floor heights in the occupied space, it can be determined whether the air is in fact stratified or if general mixing is occurring. A study area was chosen along the southern exposure of the office - see figure 1 Two sensor planes were arrayed in the space to provide redundancy and to compare data. See figure 2. Each sensor plane sampled temperature and relative humidity data in a 2x4 grid in the space on 15-minute intervals, providing a cross-section of air stratification in the office - see figure 3.
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https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/38176