Analysis of traditional windcatchers and the effects produced by changing the size, shape, and position of the outlet opening

Abstract

Increased thermal comfort in buildings is consuming large amounts of energy around the world, especially in hot arid and semi-arid regions. Finding and adapting ways to naturally cool buildings should be a priority for researchers in the subject. For centuries the Middle East cultures have used wind towers to cool their buildings and they have proved to be a cost-effective, easy to implement and reliable solution for passive cooling that requires almost negligible energy to operate. The present work tests one traditional windcatcher and 33 modifications of the design of the outlet opening. It seeks to act as a guide to how both to enhance and also avoid reducing performance when designing windcatchers with traditional designs. Using CFD modelling, the volumetric airflow that was captured by the catcher was computed for the different outlet modifications, and this revealed which designs restrain the flow and which boost the airflow, making the wind towers more effective.