Effects of return air vent height on energy consumption, thermal comfort conditions and indoor air quality in an under floor air distribution system

• An UFAD system with separate return and exhaust air vents was investigated.
• Swirl inlet diffuser proper angle was selected according to general thermal comfort.
• Effects of return air vent height on energy consumption reduction are considerable.
• Thermal comfort and IAQ were probed for each return air vent height from floor.
• Upper boundary of occupied zone in sitting mode satisfies investigated parameters.

In this article, an under floor air distribution (UFAD) system with separate return and exhaust air vents is investigated. The proper angle of the swirl inlet diffuser is selected by comparing the general thermal comfort conditions obtained from three different inlet angles. At this proper inlet angle, the effects of return air vent height on energy consumption, thermal comfort conditions, and indoor air quality (IAQ) are investigated. To this end, thermal comfort indices (PMV–PPD), local thermal discomfort index (temperature gradient in vertical direction), and IAQ index (mean local age of air) are probed by CFD methods. Energy consumption reduction in an UFAD system equipped with a return air vent compared to MV system is 10.9, 15.3, 18.9, and 25.7% when the return air vent height is set at 2.0, 1.3, 0.65, and 0.3 m, respectively. Reducing the height of return air vent from ceiling to floor leads to an increase in exhaust air temperature and temperature gradient at the vertical direction. It is found that selection of the 1.3 m height from floor (upper boundary of occupied zone in seated mode) for return air vent height will cause a 15.3% reduction in energy consumption and would maintain the thermal comfort and IAQ in the specified range.