A Ventilation for Tyre vulcanization process CFD simulation is a computer model used to study air quality in factories that make tires. This process is very important for keeping workers safe. During vulcanization, the rubber is cured at high temperatures, which releases heat and harmful gases. A Ventilation for Tyre vulcanization process Fluent analysis helps engineers design better HVAC Fluent systems to remove these contaminants. Using this Industrial Ventilation CFD, we can see how air moves, how heat spreads, and where dangerous gases go. The simulation uses Species Transport Modeling to track a pollutant like Carbon Monoxide (CO). This allows engineers to check if the ventilation design is good enough to protect workers and meet safety rules. For comprehensive HVAC and ventilation system simulations, explore our specialized collection at CFDLAND HVAC Simulations.

Figure 1: A schematic diagram of the push-pull local exhaust ventilation system. [1]

• Reference [1]: Liu, Kai, et al. “Combining push-pull airflow and top draft hood for local exhaust of tyre vulcanization process.” Energy and Built Environment3 (2020): 296-306.

Simulation Process: Fluent Species Transport Setup, Modeling CO Dispersion in a Vulcanization Workshop

To perform this Ventilation CFD study, a detailed 3D model of the tyre vulcanization workshop was created using SpaceClaim. The geometry was made to be realistic, including the large vulcanization machines, the air supply vents, and the exhaust hoods. This detail is very important for getting accurate results. Next, a high-quality mesh was generated using Fluent Meshing. A special poly-hex mesh was chosen because it is very efficient. Inside the ANSYS Fluent solver, the most important model for this study was the Species Transport model. This model was turned on to simulate a mixture of two gases: clean air and Carbon Monoxide (CO). The CO was used as a “tracer gas” to represent the harmful pollutants that are released during the vulcanization process. The simulation was set up to release pure CO gas from the tire surfaces.

Figure 2: The 3D geometry of the workshop, including the vulcanization presses and ventilation ducts, created for the HVAC CFD simulation.

Figure 3: The high-quality poly-hex mesh used in Fluent to accurately calculate airflow and heat transfer.

Post-processing: CFD Analysis, Identifying Ventilation Inefficiency Through Contaminant Transport Analysis

The core of the problem is shown in the CO mass fraction contours in Figures 4 and 5. Pollutant is released from the tire surfaces (100% concentration). The ventilation system’s job is to capture this pollutant. However, the simulation’s most critical data point shows that the average CO mass fraction at the exhaust outlet is only 5.55%. This extremely low number is a clear indicator of a massive system failure. It proves that the vast majority of the contaminant—roughly 94.5%—is not being captured. Instead, it escapes the ventilation hoods and spreads throughout the workshop, creating a hazardous environment for workers.

Figure 4: A volume rendering of the CO mass fraction, showing the thermal plume simulation and how pollutants are distributed in the workshop.

Figure 5: CO mass fraction contours on a mid-plane cross-section, illustrating the concentration gradients from the source to the exhaust.

The temperature and velocity contours in Figures 6 and 7 explain exactly why the system is failing. The vulcanization machines are very hot (673 K), creating powerful thermal plumes (buoyancy-driven flow) that lift the hot, contaminated air upwards. The velocity contour in Figure 7 shows that while the suction at the exhaust hood inlet is high (8.94 m/s), its effect is too localized. The powerful, widespread thermal plume easily overpowers the focused suction of the exhaust hoods. The fast-moving air at the exhaust only manages to grab a small fraction of the rising plume, while the rest spills out into the main workshop area.

The most important achievement of this simulation is the identification of a critical design flaw in the ventilation system. By quantifying the extremely low capture efficiency (only 5.55% of CO is removed), the model proves that the current design is inadequate and would fail to maintain a safe work environment. It successfully diagnoses the root cause: the localized exhaust suction is not strong enough or positioned correctly to overcome the powerful thermal plumes. This provides engineers with the essential data needed to urgently reconsider and redesign the system, likely by significantly increasing the exhaust flow rate, changing the hood shape to be larger, or adding air jets to help push the contaminant plume towards the exhaust.

Figure 6: Temperature distribution contours, showing the hot vulcanization equipment acting as heat sources that drive buoyancy-driven flow.

Figure 7: Velocity field contours, confirming the localized effect of the ventilation system’s suction.