Source-volume blocking of displacement ventilation ($Q_c=(A_e^{2}BH{)}^{1/3}$)

A source volume $Q$ makes roof outflow exceed floor inflow by $Q$. At zero floor inflow, an entraining plume cannot support a steady cold lower layer; the warm layer reaches the floor. With reduced gravity $g^{\prime }=B/Q$, the entire hydrostatic head drives roof discharge $Q=A_e\sqrt{g^{\prime }H}$. This gives the stated threshold. Equal splitting of pressure head is inappropriate at blocking. The same result in physical-area notation is $Q_c=(2C_d^2{A}_{\mathrm{geom}}^{2}BH{)}^{1/3}$.