Effect of wind and buoyancy interaction on single-sided ventilation in a building

In this study, we performed numerical simulations of three-dimensional turbulent flows over an isolated building with a door-type opening by using a CFD model in order to investigate the combined effect of wind and buoyancy on windward single-sided ventilation. Positive and negative temperature differences between the inside and outside of the building were considered. The Archimedes number (Ar) was introduced as an index for evaluating the interaction between buoyancy and wind effects. The interaction between the two opposing forces under a positive temperature difference was found to be destructive, resulting in the combined effect reducing the volume flow rate. Furthermore, the wind effect was found to be dominant for Ar-0.5 < 0.45, with the buoyancy effect beginning to increase at Ar-0.5 = 0.2, and tending to be dominant for Ar-0.5 > 0.45. The two effects were found to be fairly comparable at Ar-0.5 = 0.45. The interaction between the two assisted forces under a negative temperature difference was always constructive, resulting in the combined effect reinforcing the ventilation for all the Archimedes numbers.