Performance Verification of the Integrated Optical Air Duct System

-Simulations of Air Conditioning Duct Performance Using CFD Analysis-

Abstract

The integration of two technologies –air conditioning duct systems and optical mirror duct systems– into a new energy-saving system called the Integrated Optical Air Duct System (IOAD) significantly reduces the lighting energy consumption, which accounts for roughly 30% of the energy consumption in large-scale office buildings. The utilization of IOAD in combination with other energy reduction techniques could help these office buildings become Zero Energy Buildings (ZEB). The IOAD System could minimize the effect of natural light loss during light transport inside the air conditioning duct branches and thus allow for the efficient usage of daylight. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations were performed to examine the flow of conditioned air in the duct.