Experimental study of the cold aisle phenomenon in supermarket display cabinets

Abstract

This study brings some new light on the dynamical mechanism of the so-called cold aisle phenomenon caused by the spillage of cold air from two display cabinets installed in opposed lines. From PIV velocity measurements, large scale smoke visualisations and robotized scanning of thermocouple temperature measurements, it could be shown that the height of the cold aisle and the steepness of the\nvertical temperature gradient are strongly dependent on a stable double recirculation movement in which the momentum seems more influenced by the dynamics of the entrainment by the two air curtains in front of the cabinet than by the slow air motions associated with natural convection.\nThese results suggest that new means can be found to reduce, through dynamical actions, the customer discomfort associated with the cold aisle phenomenon.}