NATURAL VENTILATION: (MODULE 4)

FUNCTIONS OF VENTILATION:

 Natural ventilation and air movement could-be considered under the heading of
'structural controls’ as it does not rely on any form of energy supply or
mechanical installation, but due to its importance for human comfort, it deserves a
separate section.
 It has three distinctly different functions:

SUPPLY OF FRESH AIR

CONVECTIVE COOLING
PHYSIOLOGICAL COOLING
There is a radical difference in the form of provisions for supply of fresh air and
convective cooling and for physiological cooling: therefore, the first two functions
will be considered as 'ventilation' but the last function is considered separately as 'air
movement'.

SUPPLY OF FRESH AIR:

 The requirements of fresh air supply are governed by the type of occupancy,
number and activity of the occupants and by the nature of any processes carried
out in the space.
 Requirements may be stipulated by building regulations and advisory codes in
terms of m 3/h person, or in number of air changes per hour, but these are only
applicable to mechanical installations.
 Nevertheless, they can be taken as useful guides for natural ventilation.
 The aim of all these rules is to ensure ventilation, but the rigid application of such
rules may often be inadequate to ensure a satisfactory performance the principles
involved must be clearly understood.

For natural ventilation usually certain limited solutions are prescribed and not the
expected performance.

 The provision of 'permanent ventilators', i.e. of openings which cannot be closed,

may be compulsory.
 These may be grilles or 'air bricks‘built into a wall, or may be incorporated with
windows.
 The size of open able windows may be stipulated in relation to the floor area or the
volume of the room.
CONVECTIVE COOLING:

The exchange of indoor air with fresh out-door air can provide cooling, if the latter is at a
lower temperature than the indoor air. The moving air acts as a heat carrying medium.

Provision for ventilation: STACK EFFECT:

 Ventilation, i.e. both the supply of fresh air and convective cooling, involves the
movement of air at a relatively slow rate. The motive force can be either thermal
or dynamic (wind).
 The stack effect relies on thermal forces, set up by density difference (caused by
temperature differences) between the indoor and out-door air.
 It can occur through an open window (when the air is still): the warmer and lighter
indoor air will flow out at the top and the cooler, denser outdoor air will Flow in at
the bottom.
 The principle is the same as in Wind generation.

Special provision can be made for it in the form of VENTILATING SHAFTS. The
higher the shaft, the larger the cross-sectional area and the greater the temperature
difference: the greater the motive force therefore, the more air will be moved. Such shafts
are often used for the ventilation of internal, windowless rooms (bathrooms and toilets) in
Europe.
PHYSIOLOGICAL COOLING:

The movement of air past the skin surface accelerates heat dissipation in two ways:
1. Increasing convective heat loss
2. Accelerating evaporation
Cooling by air movement is most needed where there are no other forms of heat
dissipation available, when the air is as warm as the skin and the surrounding surfaces are
also at a similar temperature.
PROVISION FOR AIR MOVEMENT: WIND EFFECTS:

 Thermal forces will rarely be sufficient to create appreciable air movements.

 The only 'natural’ force that can be relied on is the dynamic effect of winds.
 When the creation of air movements indoors is the aim, the designer should try to
capture as much of the available wind as possible.

Air flow around the building

 Negative control – when the wind is too much – is easy, if windows and openings
can be shut.

AIR FLOW THROUGH BUILDINGS:

As no satisfactory and complete theory is available, air flow patterns can only be
predicted on the basis of empirical rules derived from measurements in actual buildings
or in wind tunnel studies. Such empirical rules can give a useful guide to the designer but
in critical cases it is advisable to prepare a model of the design and test it on a ‘Wind
Simulator’.

Wind simulators may be of

1. The Open-jet Type
2. The Wind Tunnel Type .

Air flow through buildings:

The following factors can be isolated which affect the indoor air flow (both patterns and
velocities):

1. ORIENTATION
2. EXTERNAL FEATURES
3. CROSS-VENTILATION
4. POSITION OF OPENINGS
5. SIZE OF OPENINGS
6. CONTROLS OF OPENINGS

1. ORIENTATION
 The greatest pressure on the windward side of a building is generated when the
elevation is at right angles to the wind direction, so it seems to be obvious that the
greatest indoor air velocity will be achieved in this case.
 A wind incidence of 45° would reduce the pressure by 50%.
 Thus the designer must ascertain the prevailing wind direction from wind
frequency charts of wind roses and must orientate his building in such a way that
the largest openings are facing the wind direction.
 It has, however, been found by Givoni that a wind incidence at 45° would increase
the average indoor air velocity and would provide a better distribution of indoor
air movement

 Below figure a shows the outline of air flow at 90° and Figure b at 45°, to a
building square in plan.
 In the second case a greater velocity is created along the windward faces, therefore
the wind shadow will be much broader, the negative pressure (the suction effect)
will be increased and an increased indoor air flow will result.
 The size of outlet opening was not varied in his experiments: it was fixed at the
maximum possible so that the suction forces had full effect.
  It is justified to postulate that with smaller outlet openings this effect would be
reduced, if not reversed.

In equatorial regions a north-south orientation would be preferable for sun exclusion but
most often the wind is predominantly eastenly.

Massing & Orientation for Cooling:

 Massing and orientation are important design factors to consider for passive
cooling, specifically, natural ventilation.
 As a general rule, thin tall buildings will encourage natural ventilation and utilize
prevailing winds, cross ventilation, and stack effect.

Massing Strategies for Passive Cooling

 Thinner buildings increase the ratio of surface area to volume.

 This will make utilizing natural ventilation for passive cooling easy.
 Conversely, a deep floor plan will make natural ventilation difficult-especially
getting air into the core of the building and may require mechanical ventilation.
 Tall buildings also increase the effectiveness of natural ventilation, because wind
speeds are faster at greater heights. This improves not only cross ventilation but
also stack effect ventilation.
 While thin and tall buildings can improve the effectiveness of natural ventilation
to cool buildings, they also increase the exposed area for heat transfer through the
building envelope.
 When planning urban centers, specifically in heating dominated climates, having
the buildings gradually increase in height will minimize high speed winds at the
pedestrian level which can influence thermal comfort.
 The height difference between neighboring buildings should not exceed 100%.

2. EXTERNAL FEATURES:
 Wind shadows created by obstructions upwind, should be avoided in positioning
the building on the site and in positioning the opening in the building.
 Building structures can redirect prevailing winds to cross-ventilation
 External features of the building itself can strongly influence the pressure build-
up.
 For example, if the air flow is at 45◦ to an elevation, a Wing Wall at the downwind
end or a projecting wing of an L-shaped building can more than double the
positive pressure created.
 A similar funneling effect can be created by upward projecting eaves. Any
extension of the elevational area facing the wind will increase the pressure build-
up.
  If a gap between two buildings is closed by a solid wall, a similar effect will be
produced.
 The air velocity between free-standing trunk of trees with large crowns can be
increased quite substantially due to similar reasons
 The opposite of the above means will produce a reduction of pressures: if a
wing wall or the projecting wing of an L-shaped building is upwind from the
oepning considered, the pressure is reduced or even a negative pressure may be
created in front of the window
Wing Walls
 Wing walls project outward next to a window, so that even a slight breeze against
the wall creates a high pressure zone on one side and low on the other.
 The pressure differential draws outdoor air in through one open window and out
the adjacent one. Wing walls are especially effective on sites with low outdoor air
velocity and variable wind directions.
3. CROSS-VENTILATION:
 When placing ventilation openings, inlets and outlets are placed to optimize the
path air follows through the building.
 Windows or vents placed on opposite sides of the building give natural breezes
a pathway through the structure. This is called cross-ventilation.
 Cross-ventilation is generally the most effective form of wind ventilation.

 It is generally best not to place openings exactly across from each other in a
space.
 While this does give effective ventilation, it can cause some parts of the room
to be well-cooled and ventilated while other parts are not.
 Placing openings across from, but not directly opposite, each other causes the
room's air to mix, better distributing the cooling and fresh air.
 Also, cross ventilation can be increased by having larger openings on the
leeward faces of the building that the windward faces and placing inlets at
higher pressure zones and outlets at lower pressure zones.
  Placing inlets low in the room and outlets high in the room can cool spaces
more effectively, because they leverage the natural convection of air.
 Cooler air sinks lower, while hot air rises; therefore, locating the opening down
low helps push cooler air through the space, while locating the exhaust up high
helps pull warmer air out of the space. This strategy is covered more on the
stack ventilation.

 The following figure in the absence of an outlet opening or with a full partition
there can be no effective air movement through a building even in a case of strong
winds. With a windward opening and no outlet, a pressure similar to that in front
of the building will be built up indoors, which can make conditions even worse,
increasing discomfort.
 In some cases oscillating pressure changes, known as 'buffering' can also occur.
The latter may also be produced by an opening on the leeward side only, with no
inlet.

 Air flow loses much of its kinetic energy each time it is diverted around or over an
obstacle. Several right-angle bends, such as internal walls or furniture within a
room can effectively stop a low velocity air flow .
 Where internal partitions are unavoidable, some air flow can be ensured if
partition screens are used, clear of the floor and the ceiling.

4. POSITION OF OPENINGS:
 To be effective, the air movement must be directed at the body surface. In
building terms this means that air movement must be ensured through the
space mostly used by the occupants: through the 'living zone' (up to 2 m high).
 As Figure shows, if the opening at the inlet side is at a high level, regardless of
the outlet opening position, the air flow will take place near the ceiling and not
in the living zone.
  The relative magnitude of pressure build-up in front of the solid areas of the
elevation (which in turn depends on the size and position of openings) will, in
fact, govern the direction of the indoor air stream and this will be independent
of the outlet opening position.
 The figure below shows that a larger solid surface creates a larger pressure
build-up and this pushes the air stream in an opposite direction, both in plan
and in section.
 As a result of this, in a two storey building the air flow on the ground floor
may be satisfactory but on the upper floor it may be directed against the
ceiling.
 One possibilities remedy is an increased roof parapet wall.

5. SIZE OF OPENINGS:
 Window or louver size can affect both the amount of air and its speed.
 For an adequate amount of air, one rule of thumb states that the area of operable
windows or louvers should be 20% or more of the floor area, with the area of inlet
openings roughly matching the area of outlets.
 However, to increase cooling effectiveness, a smaller inlet can be paired with a
larger outlet opening.
 With this configuration, inlet air can have a higher velocity.
 Because the same amount of air must pass through both the bigger and smaller
openings in the same period of time, it must pass through the smaller opening
more quickly.
 Air flows from areas of high pressure to low pressure.
 Air can be steered by producing localized areas of high or low pressure.
 Anything that changes the air's path will impede its flow, causing slightly higher
air pressure on the windward side of the building and a negative pressure on the
leeward side.
 To equalize this pressure, outside air will enter any windward openings and be
drawn out of leeward openings.
 Because of pressure differences at different altitudes, this impedance to airflow is
significantly higher if the air is forced to move upward or downward to navigate a
barrier without any corresponding increase or decrease in temperature.

 With a given elevational area – a given total wind force (pressure x area) – the
largest air velocity will be obtained through a small inlet opening with a large
outlet.
 This is partly due to the total force acting on a small area, forcing air through the
opening at a high pressure and partly due to the ‘Venturi Effect’: in the broadening
funnel (the imaginary funnel connecting the small inlet to the large outlet) the
sideways expansion of the air jet further accelerates the particles.
 Such an arrangement may be useful if the air stream is to be directed (as it were
focused) at a given part of the room.
 When the inlet opening is large, the air velocity through it will be less, but the total
rate of air flow (volume of air passing in unit time) will be higher. When the wind
direction is not constant, or when air flow through the whole space is required, a
large inlet opening will be preferable.
  The best arrangements is full wall openings on both sides, with adjustable sashes
or closing devices which can assist in channeling the air flow in the required
direction, following the change of wind.
 Venturi Effect: The Venturi Effect is the reduction in fluid pressure that results when
a fluid flows through a constricted section of pipe. The Venturi effect is named after
Giovanni Battista Venturi (1746– 1822), an Italian physicist.

6. Control of openings:
 Sashes, canopies, louvres and other elements controlling the openings, also
influence the indoor air flow pattern.
 Sashes can divert the air flow upwards. Only a casement or reversible pivot
sash will channel it downwards into the living zone.
 Canopies can eliminate the effect of pressure build-up above the window,
thus the pressure below the window will direct the air flow upwards. A gap
left between the building face and the canopy would ensure a downward
pressure, thus a flow directed into the living zone.

 Louvres and shading devices may also present a problem. The position of
blades in a slightly upward position would still channel the flow into the
living zone (up to 20° upwards from the horizontal)
Air Flow Around Buildings:
 When the architect’s task is the design of more than one building, a cluster of
buildings or a whole settlement, especially in a warm climate, provision for air
movement must be one of the most important considerations.
 After a careful analysis of site climatic conditions a design hypothesis may be
produced on the basis of general information derived from experimental findings,
such as those described below.
 A positive confirmation (or rejection) of this hypothesis can only be provided by
model studies in a wind simulator.
 If the construction of adjustable or variable layout models is feasible, alternative
arrangements can be tested and the optimum can be selected.
 The effect of tall blocks in mixed developments has been examined in experiments
conducted by the Building Research Station at Garston.
 Figure shows how the air stream separates on the face of a tall block, part of it moving
up and over the roof part of it down, to form a large vortex leading to a very high
pressure build-up.
 An increased velocity is found at ground level at the sides of the tall block. This could
serve a useful purpose in hot climates, although if the tall block is not fully closed but
is permeable to wind, these effects may be reduced.
 If a low building is located in the wind shadow of a Tall block , the increase in
height of the obstructing block will increase the air flow Through the low building
in a direction opposite to that of the wind.
 The lower (return-) wing of a Large vortex would pass through the building.

 If in a rural setting in open country, single storey buildings are placed in rows
in a grid-iron pattern, stagnant air zones leeward from the first row will overlap
the second row (Figure below). A spacing of six times the building height is
necessary to 129 ensure adequate air movement for the second row. Thus the
'five times height' rule for spacing is not quite satisfactory.

 In a similar setting, if the buildings are staggered in a checker-board pattern,

the flow field is much more uniform, stagnant air zones are almost eliminated.