Experimental and CFD studies on surface condensation

Condensation    and    mold    problems    have    been identified as one of the severest IAQ problems in Japan. Especially in the wintertime, moisture condenses on cold wall surfaces where it can cause deterioration of the building materials and mold growth related to allergic symptoms. This paper discusses the possibility of using the CFD method to solve condensation problems. Firstly, a CFD model for simulating condensation is developed, and then the validity of this model is examined experimentally. The results indicated that there is a good agreement between the experimental results and the model predictions. Then, the effect of ventilation on condensation risk is discussed using this model, and it  is  found  that  the  condensation  performance  is significantly affected by the ventilation design.