r/oddlysatisfying 4h ago

CFD simulations of airflow through vents

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u/oneeyedziggy 3h ago

I would like numbers please... what speeds and pressures does this really start to be relevant for? Commercial scale? Home scale? 

What's the observable result? Lower energy consumption to maintain the same temp? Or does slow turbulent air eventually do the job within an insignificant margin?

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u/car_buy_2021 3h ago

This is exactly the right question. The simulation output animations do not include the numeric scale that corresponds to the color gradiation. 

Ultimately a slight imbalance in velocities or pressures at turns or branches, or turbulence, only matters if there is a negative performance consequence, or possibly a negative reliability consequence, or other negative consequence associated with it. 

If the only consequence of this is that one outlet duct receives 0.1% more or less air flow than the one next to it, who cares.

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u/0nlyRevolutions 1h ago

And there's a whole science to generating and validating mesh sizes and defining boundary conditions before you can even start to get results that mean anything!