Numerical simulation of rooftop ventilator flow

Rotating rooftop turbine ventilators are cost effective environmental friendly natural ventilation devices, which are used to extract airflow from a building to improve air quality and comfort. A CFD study using the standard k-? turbulence model with multiple reference frame (MRF) meshing technique was employed to explore the suitability of numerical approach in modelling various features of a ventilator flow. The initial CFD results were validated against wind tunnel data obtained for a commercial ventilator on a simulated inclined rooftop configuration conducted at the aerodynamic laboratory of University of New South Wales. The numerical studies were then extended to examine both the internal and the external flows associated with the ventilator at different wind speeds and to quantify the performance of a rotating ventilator in terms of air extraction rate. The trend observed appeared to be in good agreement with published data suggesting that application of numerical simulation is feasible as a cost effective tool in the future design, development and performance analysis of rotating wind driven ventilation device.     

Prototype development of the rooftop turbine ventilator powered by hybrid wind and photovoltaic energy

In order to respond the suggestions made in the previous works, such as (1) improving the design of the rooftop ventilator commonly used in Taiwan, (2) making the “push–pull” airflow model in the ventilation duct effective for the bathroom ventilation and (3) combining the energy demands of the ventilator with renewable energy to reduce energy consumption, this study develops a prototype of the rooftop turbine ventilator powered by hybrid wind and photovoltaic energy. A low-speed wind tunnel experiment is performed to investigate the prototype's ventilation performance. The experimental results indicate installing an inner fan at low outdoor wind speed (0 and 5 m/s) increases the ventilation rate. The ventilation rate was not improved by installing an inner fan at a high outdoor wind speed. A rated rotation speed close to 1500 rpm is highly recommended when installing the inner fan. This study also introduces the general application modes of the proposed ventilator, and their electricity specifications.     

A review on wind driven ventilation techniques

Natural ventilation has gained prominence in recent times as a bespoke method of ventilating buildings. The two fundamental principles of natural ventilation are stack effect and wind driven ventilation. This paper reviews miscellaneous wind driven ventilation designs with respect to traditional means such as wind towers and more modern techniques including turbine ventilators and wind catchers. A distinction is made between specific types of wind driven ventilation techniques depending on their operation and mode of engagement with the wind. For example, a static wind catcher is classified as passive; a rotating wind cowl as a directed passive technique and a rotating turbine ventilator is classified as outright active due to its constant rotation with the wind. A table summarising the review is presented at the end with corresponding references.     

The effects of rooftop garden on energy consumption of a commercial building in Singapore

DOE-2 energy simulation program was used to determine the effects of rooftop garden on the annual energy consumption, cooling load and roof thermal transfer value (RTTV) of a five-story hypothetical commercial building in Singapore. The thermal resistances (R-values) of turfing, shrubs and trees were estimated using data from site measurements, and the effects on the building energy consumption of a rooftop garden with these three types of plants were simulated. Two soil types with different soil thickness on the building roof were also simulated. The results showed that the installation of rooftop garden on the five-story commercial building can result in a saving of 0.6–14.5% in the annual energy consumption, and shrubs was found to be most effective in reducing building energy consumption. The results also revealed that the increase of soil thickness would further reduce the building energy consumption and the moisture content of soil can affect the outcome quite substantially.     

Experimental and CFD study of ventilation flow rate of a Monodraught™ windcatcher

Monodraught™ windcatchers are commercial natural ventilation devices, which are primarily driven by wind to produce both extract and supply air flow. The measurement of the net flow rate (extract minus supply) of a Monodraught™ windcatcher ABS 550 for various wind speeds and directions is introduced. The ventilation measurement system uses a cone flow meter and a blower fan. CFD standard k − ? turbulence model is employed to calculate the flow rate. The situation using a blower fan is considered in modelling and the effect of the manometer sensitivity is also discussed. The comparison has indicated a good agreement between measurement and simulation. CFD modelling of the windcatcher is then carried out for the situation of outdoor far field wind. At the same nominal wind speed, the calculated extract flow rate of the windcatcher in a far field wind is roughly twice that for the situation using a blower fan, the wind direction has a small effect on the extract flow rate. The extract and supply flow rates are also calculated for various room pressure due to various wall openings and installation on a flat roof or a pitched roof. The contribution of the buoyancy effect on the flow rates is discussed in simulation.     

The effects of roof reflectance on air temperatures surrounding a rooftop condensing unit

Recent anecdotal information suggests that “cool” roofs might produce significant energy savings by reducing the temperature of air entering rooftop air-conditioner (RTU) condensers. Unfortunately, measurements to support this claim are not well documented. To overcome this problem, we carried out a set of six rigorous field experiments to determine the effects of roof reflectance on the heating of condenser inlet air by the roof, and to assess the effects of condenser fan operation on the potential recirculation of hot discharge air from the condenser. The experiments involved combinations of two roof conditions (a “hot” roof and then the same roof with a “cool” coating) and three RTU operation modes (condenser fan and compressor both operating, condenser fan operating without the compressor, and condenser fan and compressor both not operating). For each case, we continuously measured outdoor air temperature at 26 locations near and far from the RTU, as well as roof surface temperatures at 2 locations (1 near and 1 far from the RTU), wind speed and direction, and solar radiation.     

Building mounted wind turbines and their suitability for the urban scale—A review of methods of estimating urban wind resource

In this paper, a review is presented of academic literature regarding urban wind speeds for building mounted wind turbines. Site measurement of wind speed requires time and money that often are not available for small micro-generation projects. Research into wind speed estimation for the urban environment has shown that street canyons affect urban wind flow, that wind speed up over the roof ridge is only evident for isolated single buildings, that the wind resource “seen” by a building mounted wind turbine is affected by positioning (height above roof ridge and position relative to the prevailing wind direction), that urban terrain roughness is high, and that adjacent buildings can cause wind shadow. This multiplicity of factors makes it difficult to generalise a wind resource estimation methodology for the urban environment. Scaling factors may prove to be a practical solution, provided the accuracy of their use is well understood.     

考虑风速风向联合分布的双坡屋面风致疲劳研究

为研究风荷载作用下大跨度低矮建筑金属屋面板的疲劳损伤分布规律,以坡度为1/60的双坡屋面建筑为研究对象,基于1975～2019年间的风速风向数据,研究了双坡屋面板50年重现期的疲劳损伤累积值。采用Gumbel分布描述日极值风速分布,混合Von Mises分布描述风向分布,并用单参数Archimedean Copula函数描述二者的相关性,得到了风速风向的联合分布; 基于双坡屋面的测压风洞试验结果,考虑连续变化风速和离散风向角对疲劳寿命的影响,研究了金属屋面板的疲劳损伤累积值。结果表明:双坡屋面板疲劳损伤与主导风向、屋面位置等因素密切相关,位于主导风向处的迎风屋檐、边角等气流分离位置的疲劳损伤累积值远大于其他区域; 良态风环境下,该双坡屋面金属屋面板50年风致疲劳损伤累积值最大可达0.746,风荷载可引起迎风屋檐、边角位置金属屋面板的疲劳破坏; 对于金属屋面板而言,风致疲劳破坏是引发风揭事故的巨大隐患,应高度重视。     

Development of a shrouded wind turbine with a flanged diffuser

We have developed a wind turbine system that consists of a diffuser shroud with a broad-ring flange at the exit periphery and a wind turbine inside it. The flanged-diffuser shroud plays a role of a device for collecting and accelerating the approaching wind. Emphasis is placed on positioning the flange at the exit of a diffuser shroud. Namely, the flange generates a low-pressure region in the exit neighborhood of the diffuser by vortex formation and draws more mass flow to the wind turbine inside the diffuser shroud. To obtain a higher power output of the shrouded wind turbine, we have examined the optimal form of the flanged diffuser, such as the diffuser open angle, flange height, hub ratio, centerbody length, inlet shroud shape and so on. As a result, a shrouded wind turbine equipped with a flanged diffuser has been developed, and demonstrated power augmentation for a given turbine diameter and wind speed by a factor of about 4-5 compared to a standard (bare) wind turbine. In a field experiment using a prototype wind turbine with a flanged diffuser shroud, the output performance was as expected and equalled that of the wind tunnel experiment.     

某物流中心中庭风幕取代防火卷帘的数值模拟

利用FDS模拟某物流中心中庭火灾场景中风幕的挡烟效果。中庭高32m,顶部有6个机械排烟口,总排烟量为240000m3/h。火源功率为4MW,快速t2火位于中庭下方。机械排烟系统和风幕系统均在火灾开始后60s时启动。风幕风速分别为0、0.5、1、2、3和4m/s。模拟结果:当风速低于1m/s时,挡烟效果不明显;风速高于3m/s会妨碍排烟系统的排烟效果。2m/s风速既能发挥风幕的挡烟效果,又不使烟气在下层积聚。结论:设置合理风速的风幕在一定程度上可取代防火卷帘。     

城市住区室外通风与空气负离子浓度评测研究

选取合肥市东南区域典型居住区为研究对象,运用CFD数值模拟和室外实地观测相结合的研究方法,量化模拟了夏冬两季住区室外环境的风速图,并分析了其模拟通风状况;在此基础上得到了住区内不同环境的通风特征,包括建筑布局、空间形态、建筑密度、交通路网、植物绿化等对通风的影响;再根据模拟参数,在住区内选取样点实地观测了不同环境特征下的住区夏冬两季的空气负离子和风速、温度、相对湿度以及空气正离子等数据,探索了住区室外环境中空气负离子浓度与风速、温度、湿度和空气正离子之间的相关关系。同时进一步整理了近4万个有效数据应用于空气负离子和风速的时空分布研究,推导出夏季风速与空气负离子的线性回归方程,并运用偏相关分析,得出城市住区环境中空气负离子与风速呈极显著负相关,给出了线性回归方程Y=-0.001X-0.003。最后结合建筑布局的组合、开敞空间的设计和线性道路的组织等分析了空气负离子和风速的分布规律,用以说明评价住区室外环境通风状况的可行性,为今后城乡规划和建筑设计提供科学依据和设计思路。     

Sensitivity of air change rates in a naturally ventilated atrium space subject to variations in external wind speed and direction

Design guidelines for natural ventilation (NV) in buildings focus on the potential hourly air change (ACH) rates based on the building space parameters. Critically, external airflow data is often assumed on the basis of a single mean wind speed and an associated prevailing wind direction. This can result in significant variation in ventilation rates and comfort conditions when non-design external wind conditions prevail. This paper describes a CFD study aimed at examining the influence of variations in external wind speed and direction on the air change rate for the atrium space of a two-storey naturally ventilated building. The building atrium is ventilated by a series of entry vents on one wall of the building in conjunction with roof vents. External wind speeds from 25 to 250% of the mean site wind speed (5.7 m/s) were examined and found to result in an almost linear increase in the ACH rate. For a single wind speed, the relationship between wind direction and the ACH rate was also found to be approximately linear for wind directions between 0° and 90° (orthogonal and parallel) to the wall vent openings, but non-linear for other wind directions (90–135°). More generally, the significant variation in the atrium ACH rate with changes in external wind conditions, evident in this particular building model, illustrates the importance of considering non-design wind conditions when designing NV buildings.     

建筑形态参数对街道型风道通风潜力影响分析

建筑形态参数直接影响城市街道型 风道的通风潜力。为揭示中国大城市建筑形态参 数对街道型风道通风效果的影响程度与机理, 首先选择南京市中心区中山路两侧约10.84 km 2 的街区为研究样区,基于python软件从高分辨 率遥感图像中提取研究样区内建筑密度、建筑 高度和容积率;其次,借助CFD平台,通过验证 参数后的量化模拟获得该街区在1.5 m、10 m 与30 m等高度的风场图,以揭示模拟风场与 建筑形态参数之间的相关性以及建筑形态参 数对城市通风潜力的影响。结果表明：在各高 度,风速与建筑密度曲线走势相反,风速较高 处与路口的位置基本一致;建筑密度与模拟风 速呈负相关关系,相关系数为0.040（1.5 m）、 -0.475（10 m）与-0.314（30 m）,建筑高度与模 拟风速呈正相关关系,相关系数为0.237,容积 率与模拟风速无明显相关性。最后,结合南京 城市核心区的建成环境特点,提出改善我国大 城市街道型风道通风潜力的建筑形态参数规划 应对策略。     

A method to assess peak storm wind speeds using detailed damage surveys

A detailed damage survey of a single, wood-framed, structure, which had a complete roof failure during the passage of a gust front in southern Ontario, was performed. Radar data was used to estimate upper level wind speeds associated with the gust front. Details pertaining to the structural failure, including the debris field, were obtained. Wind tunnel pressure time histories, in a simulated atmospheric boundary layer, were used to establish the roof height, gust wind speed at failure. This speed was smaller than the upper level speed found from the analysis of the radar. The flight of the roof was also examined, and confirmed the wind speeds obtained from the structural analysis of the failure. The study illustrates that detailed damage surveys, which incorporate the use of wind tunnel test data and debris flight in the analysis, can shed considerable light on the details of the wind speeds at failure, reducing the uncertainty caused by the many assumptions in such analyses.     

Force transfer mechanism on fastener section of mechanically anchored waterproofing membrane roofs under wind pressure during typhoons

The wind pressure, billow of a PVC sheet, and fastener load of a mechanically anchored waterproofing membrane system on a building rooftop were measured during a typhoon. The results showed that the waterproof sheet billowed upward, and the height of the billow was greater on the windward side that was under higher negative pressure. The axial and lateral forces acting on the fastener of the waterproof sheet were measured by a six-component force transducer, and it was found that the lateral force acting on the windward side of the fastener was larger. The tensile force acting on the fastener section was calculated using an equation for rooftop wind pressure. Finally, the method used to determine the fastener's position and the types of materials best-suited to cope with wind pressure on the roof were proposed, and the safety of this waterproof system was evaluated.     

上海建筑楼顶风能资源的初步调查研究

研究了上海建筑楼顶风速与气象站数据的相关性。通过测试上海市同济大学嘉定校区和杨浦校区的某些高楼屋顶的24 h风速数据,将之与嘉定校区中德学院小型气象站的气象数据,以及上海徐家汇地区10 m高度测风塔上的气象数据进行对比,分析了上海市楼顶风速特点。经过比较,发现位于郊区的嘉定校区低层建筑楼顶的风速情况均可使用中德学院气象站的风速代替,但是高层建筑的风速情况还需进一步研究。而杨浦校区处于市区,地形复杂,各楼顶的风速不能以气象站的风速来估算,因此市区气象站的和各楼的风速相关性还有待进一步研究。     

建筑物风荷载体型系数的数值模拟

基于数值风洞方法具有成本低、速度快、结果采集更为全面等显著优点,运用 FLUENT 软件,对封闭式双坡屋面房屋的风荷载体型系数进行了数值模拟,并与现行<建筑结构荷载规范>进行对比,为合理使用建筑数值风洞方法提供参考.     

Effects of wind on the transmission heat loss in duo-pitched insulated roofs: A field study

This article presents measuring results of the thermal performance of duo-pitched tiled woodframe roof designs. The roofs have been monitored in a test building, exposed to the outside climate. The experiment was part of a programme to study the hygrothermal performance of highly insulated envelope parts in situ, in order to investigate whether a good thermal quality (U = 0.2 W/(m² K)) is achievable with current residential construction practices in Belgium. The results show the effect of wind on the thermal performance of duo-pitched roofs. The measured thermal properties of the roof components are compared to the design values, and related to the wind speeds and directions registered near the test building. The established thermal effects are explained using tracer gas tests to show the pattern of wind driven air flow in the roofs.     

Experimental and numerical studies of flows through and within high-rise building arrays and their link to ventilation strategy

Urban ventilation implies that wind from rural areas may supply relatively clean air into urban canopies and distribute rural air within them to help air exchange and pollutant dilution. This paper experimentally and numerically studied such flows through high-rise square building arrays as the approaching rural wind is parallel to the main streets. The street aspect ratio (building height/street width, H/W) is from 2 to 5.3 and the building area (or packing) density (λ_p) is 0.25 or 0.4. Wind speed is found to decrease quickly through high-rise building arrays. For neighbourhood-scale building arrays (1-2 km at full scale), the velocity may stop decreasing near leeward street entries due to vertical downward mixing induced by the wake. Strong shear layer exists near canopy roof levels producing three-dimensional (3D) vortexes in the secondary streets and considerable air exchanges across the boundaries with their surroundings. Building height variations may destroy or deviate 3D canyon vortexes and induced downward mean flow in front of taller buildings and upward flow behind taller buildings. With a power-law approaching wind profile, taller building arrays capture more rural air and experience a stronger wind within the urban canopy if the total street length is effectively limited. Wider streets (or smaller λ_p), and suitable arrangements of building height variations may be good choices to improve the ventilation in high-rise urban areas.     

蓄水屋面隔热构造与节能性能研究——以苏州大学炳麟图书馆为例

屋面是建筑重要的围护结构,对改善室内热舒适度、降低空调能耗起到重要作用.通过对苏州大学炳麟图书馆蓄水屋面的观测分析,说明蓄水屋面既能与水景观相结合,丰富空间环境,减少空气污染,又能在炎热夏季冷却建筑,改善室内热工性能,降低室内空调能耗,是一种简便有效的屋面节能措施.同时对案例的蓄水屋面隔热构造进行了分析.