Energy efficient air conditioning systems in hospitals operating theatres

Optimization of airflow regimes, heat transfer for comfort and hygiene in operating theatres is one of the main goods of energy efficient building strategies. Most of operating theatres operates on 100 % fresh air principles; typically requiring excessive fresh air cooling loads particularly in hot and humid climates. Attempts were reported by Kameel and Khalil (2000, 2001, and 2002), Hosni et al. (1996) to specially optimum room flow pattern and turbulence levels. The present work fosters a mathematical approach to numerically predict the flow regimes, heat transfer and relative humidity in surgical operating theatres of different geometries. Full three-dimensional solves of the governing conservation equations of mass, momentum, energy and species concentration was utilised in the present work with the k-ε turbulence model closure. The orthogonal grid nodes mapping the flow field comprised 144000 grid nodes and made allowance for adequate represent of the operating table geometry. Predicted air velocity contours and dry bulb temperature distributions were obtained for a 6×5×3 m operating theatre. Those predictions were compared to experimental data published in the literature; quantitative agreements were generally shown. The predictions adequately outlined the various regimes that were in trend-wise agreement with experiments. Parametric design modifications were also carried out to endeavor the enhancement of energy efficiency of the systems in operating theatres.