Effective opening area and installation location of windows for single sided natural ventilation in high-rise residences

Abstract

This study introduces a plan to improve ventilation effectiveness through an appropriate operable window opening area and partitioning/placement to promote natural ventilation based on unit location and elevation. To predict the natural ventilation performance of a high-rise building, a total of 800 ventilation rate data were calculated according to the unit location, elevation and opening area (2.5%, 5.0%, 7.5% and 10% of the floor area at 8 locations and 25 different elevations) by using a network ventilation simulation. A CFD-based wind tunnel simulation, based on 5 alternative cases, was implemented to analyze the efficiency based on operable window partitioning/placement under the single-sided ventilation condition. The interpretation room is situated in a relatively sheltered location and wind tunnel trials were carried out in order to visualize the resultant local wind pattern around the room for a prevailing wind direction. This investigation also revealed that wind effects can either reinforce or oppose each other. This was verified by tracking the airflow patterns through a room at a range of window positions.