Discharge coefficient of centre-pivot roof windows

Abstract

Use of centre-pivot roof windows is very common in single family houses in Nordic Europe. Unfortunately the wind-driven airflow characteristics of this kind of windows are missing in the scientific literature. In the present study, the airflow rate through the window was specified by using the discharge coefficient. Wind tunnel measurements using a modelled centre-pivot roof window was used in the present study. For smaller sash opening angles the value of discharge coefficient was approaching unity and the discharge coefficient decreased with increase in the sash opening angle. The value of 0.6 was only obtained when the window was without sash. Hence, the inclusion of sash improved the airflow characteristics of the window due to increased value of the discharge coefficient. The discharge coefficient also depended on turbulence in the flow. In the absence of external wind, the turbulence was described by the value of Re. Only for higher values of Re the still-air discharge coefficients became independent of the flow direction and the air velocity. Whereas for wind driven natural ventilation the ratio of average air speed within the opening and the reference wind speed (velocity ratio) was used to define the fully developed turbulent flow. Constant values of wind-driven discharge coefficients were obtained when the average air speed within the opening was equal to or greater than the reference wind speed i.e. the velocity ratio greater than unity. Moreover, when the velocity ratio was greater than unity, the still-air discharge coefficients became identical to the wind-driven discharge coefficients.