Advances in cubicle design using computational fluid dynamics as a design tool.

As part of a recent animal facility refurbishment, a cubicle containment system was designed to increase the amount of experimental space and also provide containment facilities to support the holding and use of specialized animal models. In order to achieve this, a series of computational fluid dynamic (CFD) studies was undertaken to evaluate the effects of different airflows and in order to optimize ventilation, a variety of exhaust/supply arrangements and animal loads was employed. These studies showed that air delivered via two, opposed, low level ducts, at a rate of 20 air changes per hour and exhausted high in the cubicle above the rack, was the optimal configuration resulting in minimal turbulence, stagnation and entrainment.