Turbulent plume zone

One simplified method for determining stack height is a geometric method described in ASHRAE. The geometric method assumes an exhaust plume shape with a lower boundary having a 1 5 slope relative to the horizontal. The stack and plume are raised until the lower plume boundary is above rooftop penthouses, separation zones, and zones of high turbulence. ASHRAE provides equations for the sizes and locations of the separation and turbulence zones. A stack height reduction credit is provided to account for the vertical exhaust momentum. 

The key flow elements in the zoning strategy arc the supply air jets, plumes of the buoyancy sources, buoyant airflows along the surfaces, and turbulent mixing between the controlled and the uncontrolled zones, as in Fig. 8.32. These flow elements have significant influence on the effectiveness of the system. 

The plume airflows (q ) are determined as described in Section 7.5. The turbulent mixing iqi,) between zones and the penetration of the plume airflows iq, h,n) through the supply airflow patterns must be determined specially for the air distribution method and devices used as well as the locations of plumes and supply air devices. 

The effect of the plume airflow rate and the turbulent mixing airflow rate through the zone boundary is presented in Fig. 8.35. The heat removal effectiveness and contaminant removal effectiveness are presented as functions of the relative airllow rate. 

When gas concentrations are high, burning is characterized by the presence of a tall, turbulent-diffusion, flame plume. At points where the cloud s vapor had already mixed sufficiently with air, the vertical depth of the visible burning zone is about equal to the initial, visible depth of the cloud. 

The effective height of an emission rarely corresponds to tlie physical height of tlie source or the stack. If tlie plume is caught in tlie turbulent wake of tlie stack or of buildings in the vicinity of tlie source or stack, tlie effluent will be mixed rapidl) downward toward the ground. If the plume is emitted free of these turbulent zones, a number of emission factors and meteorological factors influence tlie rise of the plume. 

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