Aims: Wind Catchers, as a traditional method of cooling, are compatible with the environment, on the one hand, and reduce energy consumption which is a major global challenge, on the other hand. This study evaluates the thermal and ventilation performance inside different floors of a four-story residential building by using three one-sided, two-sided, four-sided wind catcher models in hot and dry weather in open window mode.
Methods: The analysis by computer modeling or computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to evaluate the cooling potential and flow rate during the summer solstice
Finding: The results show that one-sided wind catchers are not efficient due to the low average inlet air and the negative airflow in the central shaft. Two-sided wind catchers have a positive airflow rate in the warm months, but a four-story building, cannot have the amount of air needed for ventilation on the first and second floors. Among three samples, the simulated four-sided Wind Catchers model has higher refrigeration power and optimal efficiency because it can provide airflow with appropriate speed and volume for the first to fourth floors
Conclusion: Among the three wind catcher modeled in software, it has been determined that only the four-way model can have the necessary efficiency to perform ventilation in different floors. designers can design an optimized design and a building that is more compatible with natural ventilation to provide comfort for residents, according to some special points for the use of wind catchers.