Impacts of horizontal and vertical louvers on the natural cross-ventilation performance of a generic building

Abstract

Wind-based natural cross-ventilation is defined as a process in which fresh air is injected into a building via a high-pressure windward window and exhausts into the atmosphere through a low-pressure leeward window. There are several parameters that affect the natural ventilation performance, which should be considered in detail to reach the maximum air quality inside the buildings. In the present study, the effects of horizontal and vertical louvers on the wind-driven natural cross-ventilation performance of a generic building are assessed using computational fluid dynamics. In this regard, horizontal and vertical louvers with installation louver angles of 15°, 30°, and 45° are compared with each other and corresponding non-louver cases. Computations are carried out for three different free-wind speeds of 1, 2, and 3 m/s to show the impact of the external conditions on the natural ventilation of louvered cases. The obtained results revealed that under a low free-wind speed of 1 m/s, the minimum age of air and maximum air exchange efficiency occur for vertical louvers with an installation angle of 15°, while at moderate and high free-wind speeds of 2 and 3 m/s, the horizontal louvers with an installation angle of 15° provide the best condition for a generic building.

Highlights

• Effects of horizontal and vertical louvers on the wind-driven cross-ventilation were studied.

• At a free-wind speed of 1 m/s, the minimum age of air and maximum air exchange efficiency occur for vertical louver with α = 15°.

• At U_H = 2 and 3 m/s, horizontal louver with α = 15° provides the best condition for a generic building.

Keywords:

• Age of air
• air exchange efficiency
• cross-ventilation
• natural ventilation

Data availability statement

Data sharing is not applicable to this article as no new data were created or analyzed in this study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Correction Statement

This article has been corrected with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Reza Rahimi

Reza Rahimi is a Ph.D. candidate in Mechanical Engineering at Urmia University of Technology. His research interests include heat and mass transfer and numerical simulation.

Rahim Hassanzadeh

Rahim Hassanzadeh is an associate professor of Mechanical Engineering at Urmia University of Technology. His research focuses on wind and solar energy equipment, heat exchangers, and HVAC systems.