Experimental Analysis and Model Validation of an Opaque Ventilated Facade

F. Peci López, Rasmus Lund Jensen, Per Heiselberg, M. Ruiz de Adana Santiago

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

54 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Natural ventilation is a convenient way of reducing energy consumption in buildings. In this study an experimental module of an opaque ventilated façade (OVF) was built and tested for assessing its potential of supplying free ventilation and air preheating for the building. A numerical model was created and validated against the experimental data. The experimental results showed that the flow rates induced in the façade cavity were due to mixed driving forces: wind and buoyancy. Depending on the weather conditions one of them was the main driving force, or both were of the same order. When the wind force was the main driving force, higher flow rates were found. In these cases buoyancy acted as supporting driving force. When the wind speed was low and buoyancy prevailed lower flow rates were found. Air and surface temperatures were predicted by the numerical model with a better accuracy than flow and energy rates. The model predicts correctly the influence of the wind and buoyancy driving forces. The experimental OVF module showed potential for free ventilation and air preheating, although it depends on weather and geometrical variables. The use of the numerical model using the right parameters was found viable for analyzing the performance of an OVF.
Original languageEnglish
JournalBuilding and Environment
Volume56
Issue number2012
Pages (from-to)265–275
Number of pages11
ISSN0360-1323
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Oct 2012

Keywords

  • Natural Ventilation
  • Opaque Ventilated Façade
  • Ventilated Façade
  • Energy Saving

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