Optimization of air curtain performance by particle image velocimetry measurements and computational fluid dynamics simulations : turbulence model validation

Air curtains can be applied to aerodynamically separate two environments. Air curtains are plane impinging jets at high-Reynolds numbers, preventing the transfer of heat and mass from one environment to another. The performance of an air curtain is called the separation efficiency, which depends on a wide range of jet and environmental parameters, such as jet velocity and turbulence intensity, jet thickness, air temperature differences and pressure differences over the air curtain. This study presents the first results of ongoing research on the optimization of air curtain performance. The first results consist of reduced-scale experiments in a water channel using Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV), and of steady Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations. The PIV measurements are used to validate the CFD model. Comparison of the experimental results with the results obtained with steady RANS CFD simulations in combination with three different turbulence models showed a fairly accurate agreement.