2001 Volume 26 Issue 83 Pages 81-90
The characteristics of a hybrid air-conditioning system, utilizing natural and mechanical ventilation, is investigated in an office setting. The application of this hybrid air-conditioning system in intermediate seasons of Spring and Autumn, is expected to improve the indoor air quality (IAQ) on the one hand, and lower the energy consumption on the other. For the designing datum of hybrid air-conditioning system, the characteristics of the indoor environment are examined with CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) simulation under various conditions of incoming outdoor air and the opening area of the window for natural cross ventilation. Cooling load of the mechanical air-conditioning system to maintain the task zone at the target temperature (26℃) is analyzed based on the results of these simulations. When the outdoor air of lower temperature than the indoor air flows into the room, it drops near the window opening because of the negative buoyancy effect in the room and cools the task zone energy efficiently.
