Uploaded February 2021 | Updated September 2026, 1 hour ago
To study and understand the behavior of an atrium is difficult, especially if you want to look at periods of poor climate conditions, and not just the extremes. Traditional, well-mixed zone models are way too simple, and traditional CFD solutions are too expensive for dynamic studies in everyday project work. Also, real buildings are never in steady-state (a common assumption for CFD studies.)
Two new methods in IDA ICE 5 aim to improve these studies: a detailed new zone model and a smart integration between IDA ICE and OpenFOAM® CFD.
The new zone model, which is based on flow elements, allows for detailed indoor climate analysis with dynamic results visualized in a 3D-grid (PPD, PMV, operative temperature, air temperature, air velocity, draught, CO2).
The integration between IDA ICE and OpenFOAM® allows for easy and accurate setup of a CFD model, with boundary conditions coming directly from an IDA ICE simulation, thereby capturing the true dynamic nature of a building.
EQUA Simulation AB is a privately held Swedish company, dedicated to developing state of the art simulation tools for the building and tunnel industries. The company is headquartered in Stockholm (Sweden) and was founded in 1995, even though the development started already in the mid eighties.
EQUA is a global leader of simulation software, and is known for its expertise, high quality standards and leading edge technology development. The company distributes its products and services worldwide, and with reference customers such as Arups, WSP Group, Jacobs, Rambøll Group, ÅF Group, Sweco, ABB Group, Zublin, Skanska, NCC, Pöyry, Uponor, Swegon, Knauf, VELUX Group, Danfoss, Siemens and many more.
To study and understand the behavior of an atrium is difficult, especially if you want to look at periods of poor climate conditions, and not just the extremes. Traditional, well-mixed zone models are way too simple, and traditional CFD solutions are too expensive for dynamic studies in everyday project work. Also, real buildings are never in steady-state (a common assumption for CFD studies.)
Two new methods in IDA ICE 5 aim to improve these studies: a detailed new zone model and a smart integration between IDA ICE and OpenFOAM® CFD.
The new zone model, which is based on flow elements, allows for detailed indoor climate analysis with dynamic results visualized in a 3D-grid (PPD, PMV, operative temperature, air temperature, air velocity, draught, CO2).
The integration between IDA ICE and OpenFOAM® allows for easy and accurate setup of a CFD model, with boundary conditions coming directly from an IDA ICE simulation, thereby capturing the true dynamic nature of a building.
EQUA Simulation AB is a privately held Swedish company, dedicated to developing state of the art simulation tools for the building and tunnel industries. The company is headquartered in Stockholm (Sweden) and was founded in 1995, even though the development started already in the mid eighties.
EQUA is a global leader of simulation software, and is known for its expertise, high quality standards and leading edge technology development. The company distributes its products and services worldwide, and with reference customers such as Arups, WSP Group, Jacobs, Rambøll Group, ÅF Group, Sweco, ABB Group, Zublin, Skanska, NCC, Pöyry, Uponor, Swegon, Knauf, VELUX Group, Danfoss, Siemens and many more.
