An investigation into the performance of fabric diffusers used in stratum ventilation

Fabric terminals made of polymer were found to potentially provide a clean, healthy and comfortable indoor environment. In this paper, the performance of fabric diffusers under stratum ventilation is investigated. A total of nine cases, eight of which with fabric diffusers and the other one with a double deflection grille, are conducted in an experimental classroom. The performance of fabric diffusers under stratum ventilation is studied by analyzing the velocity and temperature distributions, the effective draft temperature, the air diffusion performance index and the thermal sensation and comfort feedback. The experimental results show that fabric diffusers perform better under a higher airflow rate. Compared with double deflection grilles, fabric diffusers were able to provide a relatively uniform velocity and temperature distribution for most of the areas in a room and a more comfortable thermal environment. It performs better in air diffusion than double deflection grilles. Therefore, fabric diffusers can be used as air terminals for stratum ventilation. © 2014 Elsevier Ltd.