Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1 Assistant Prof., Department of Civil and Architecture, Faculty of Engineering, University of Torbat Heydarih, Torbat Heydarih, Iran.
2 Department of Architecture, National Technical University of Athens, Athens, Greece
Abstract
Before the invention of modern mechanical systems, one of the essential building elements in the Hot-Dry climate which was used for cooling and natural ventilation is wind catcher. Wind catchers requires a driving force to operate, the traditional system is mostly applied for heat dissipation rather than supplying ambient cool air through the system, moreover, when there is not adequate external airflow, the stack effect is negligible. In this study, a wind catcher integrated with a solar chimney, also CFD simulations were accomplished to evaluate the effect of the influx of solar radiation amount on volume flow rate at the entrance of the room and air-flow pattern inside the room. Predicted air-flow pattern around and inside the designed wind catcher at the different wind speeds (0, 3 and 5 m/s), solar irradiance on the absorber plate of 0 and 1000 W/m2 shows air velocity at the inlet vent, where the air enters the room, and subsequently the zone of air circulation inside the room enhanced with the solar radiation that intensified the buoyancy force. Comparing the air flow pattern of the different wind speeds at the constant solar radiations indicated that increasing the wind speed from 0 to 5 m/s significantly increased the air velocity inside the wind catcher. Moreover, the air flow rate at the conditions of no wind flow with solar radiation of 1000 W/m2 was found to be around 0.006 kg/s and it is clear, that a maximum air flow rate of 0.1334 kg/s is achievable at the wind speed of 5 m/s, the solar irradiance of 1000 W/m2. The zone of air circulation inside the room improve with the solar radiation that intensified the buoyancy force and system has a better performance when the wind speed is zero.
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