EXPERIMENTAL-STUDY OF NATURAL-CONVECTION BETWEEN 2 COMPARTMENTS OF A STAIRWELL

The study describes an experimental study of buoyancy-driven Row betwe en lower and upper compartments of a stairwell model with through-flow via two small openings, one as the inlet located in the lower compart ment and the other as the outlet, in the upper compartment. The drivin g force for the Row is the energy input from a heater located in the l ower compartment. The emphasis of the paper is on the effect of the ou tlet size on the fluid Row and energy transfer between the two compart ments and on the heat losses from the stairwell to the surrounding. Th e velocity and temperature profiles at various cross sections of the s tairwell are presented and discussed. The results also include the gro ss parameters of the Row such as the mass flow rates of the upflow and downflow and the effects of the opening size on them. The results sho w significant influence of the opening size on the fluid Row and energ y transfers within the stairwell.