Abstract
This study aims to mitigate the lack of integrating ideas from local architectural elements such as windcatchers, used as climate systems in hot climates to provide occupants comfort in modern housing designs. The average air temperature is 30 ℃ in summer, and 24 ℃ in winter, with an annual average relative humidity of 55%. The study investigated various windcatcher types: one-sided, two-sided, and four-sided and look for the appropriateness of their use to provide indoor thermal comfort conditions. The study includes an analysis of the integration of the windcatchers in different room designs (single zone) that is expected to be included in a single-family home proposal. The study makes a performance comparison that also considers the room door position, variations in inlet and outlet sizes, as well as windcatcher size and their placement. The analysis used CFD tools to see the potential variation in thermal profiles and air speed distribution. The results show that all integrated windcatchers alleviate indoor thermal conditions by adding natural ventilation, but a simple windcatcher design has the highest potential to provide comfort, which simplicity would be appreciated in construction. The conducted CFD simulations found reductions in air temperature from 2 ℃ to 7 ℃ for different wind speed conditions. The indoor air velocity was kept in the comfort range from November to March, particularly in the daytime.
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Acknowledgments
Mr. Mezaien would like to express great appreciation to Jazan University and the Ministry of Education in Saudi Arabia for the invaluable opportunity and continuous financial support to fulfill his Ph.D. degree program.
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Mezaien, A., Baltazar, JC. (2022). Evaluating the Performance of a Passive Architectural Element in a Hot-Dry Climate Through Natural Ventilation and Thermal Impact Analysis. In: Ghosh, A.K., Rixham, C. (eds) Proceedings of the American Solar Energy Society National Conference. ASES SOLAR 2022. Springer Proceedings in Energy. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-08786-8_20
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