Temperature distributions in air-conditioned rooms

This paper contributes to a better understanding of the parameters which influence the thermal comfort achievable in an air-conditioned room. First, simplified relationships were established to enable a study to be made of the temperature distribution using reduced scale models. A prototype and a 0·3 scale model were constructed. An experimental technique for measuring the air temperature at various points in the two rooms was then established. Experiments to test the validity of the similarity criteria were next carried out. A study was then made, for various supply conditions, of the temperature distribution in a room heated by blown hot air. In this way it was shown that the Archimedes number could be considered a characteristic number for the room air supply. The limit values required for good thermal comfort in a given room were established in this way. The differing results obtained should facilitate temperature distribution forecasting in air-conditioned rooms.