A wind tunnel study of wind-driven airing through open doors

Abstract

Temporarily enhanced natural ventilation of indoor environments can be achieved by opening windows and/or doors, i.e. airing. In this study, wind driven airing rate through doors was measured by tracer gas at a building model in a wind tunnel. Both single opening and cross flow airing was investigated, with doors placed in centrally on the long side of an elongated building model. It was found that cross flow airing yielded 4–20 times higher airing rate than single opening airing; lowest value occurring with opening surfaces perpendicular to wind direction. At single opening airing, windward positioned door yielded about 53% higher airing rate than leeward positioned. Inclusion of a draught lobby (extended entrance space) lowered airing rate by 27%, while higher wind turbulence increased it by 38%. Advection through turbulence appeared a more important airing mechanism than pumping. At cross flow, however, turbulence and draught lobby had practically no effect.