Two-sided wind catcher performance evaluation using experimental, numerical and analytical modeling

Experimental wind tunnel and smoke visualization testing as well as CFD and analytical modeling were conducted to investigate the performance of a two-sided wind catcher. This type of wind catcher is divided internally into two halves for the purposes of air supply and extract. In this study, the two-sided wind catcher model was constructed of two similar one-sided wind catcher models, which were attached together back to back. These one-sided models are 1:40 scale models of Kharmani's School wind catcher in the city of Yazd. Experimental investigations were carried out using an open-circuit wind tunnel and both the induced volumetric airflow into the building and the pressure coefficients around all surfaces of the wind catcher model were measured at various wind angles. Furthermore, the CFD simulation was also used to evaluate the pressure coefficient distribution and airflow pattern around and through the wind catcher. Additional experimental tests and computational fluid dynamics simulation of the wind catcher in the wind tunnel were also conducted in order to assess the accuracy of measurement procedures and the uncertainty of experimental results. This article also represents a semi-empirical approach in which experimental data were used for a detailed analytic model, in order to provide an accurate estimate of the performance of wind catchers. It was found that for an isolated two-sided wind catcher model, the maximum efficiency is achieved at the angle of 90°. At this air incident angle the wind catcher efficiency increases approximately 20% more than the one at zero angle. The experimental investigations demonstrated the potential of two-sided wind catcher for enhancing the natural ventilation inside buildings. It can be seen that CFD simulation and analytical modeling results have a good agreement with the experimental results. Theoretical modeling can also help to assess the accuracy of measurement procedures and the uncertainty of experimental results.