Numerical simulation of air flow in an urban area with regularly aligned blocks

Abstract

Numerical simulation of air flow distribution in a built-up area is an effective way to analyze and predict the urban thermal environment. A cyclic boundary conditions method for the numerical simulation of air flow around a block is used to model the unlimited spread of a built-up area. An equation for the calculation of the pressure difference between the windward and the leeward boundaries is proposed. Another simulation model which has 10 blocks aligned with the wind direction is used for comparison. The inflow boundary conditions are given by a wind tunnel test. The cyclic boundary conditions produced stable calculation results. The simulation results of the cyclic boundary conditions model are similar to those of the 10-block model in the cavity space. There is, however, a little difference between the results of these two models, and between them and the wind tunnel test in the higher area above the cavity and at the crossing point of the streets.