Wind-driven Airflow through Building Openings: Preliminary experimental results using Particle Image Velocimetry

Published

July 25, 2014

Author(s)

Liang Chung J. Lo

Abstract

Today’s low energy and sustainable buildings often call for innovative designs involving strategies such as natural ventilation. However, natural ventilation airflow is often difficult to estimate, mostly due to the unsteadiness of the wind. This study investigates wind-driven natural ventilation experimentally by using particle image velocimetry (PIV) conducted in a boundary layer wind tunnel using a glass building analogue with modeled openings. Using the PIV technique, both the outdoor wind flow and the resulting indoor through flow were visualized and measured. By varying the opening sizes in the glass model and the incident angle of the approaching wind, the airflow behavior around the openings was investigated. The experimental results provide a novel representation of the airflow characteristics for wind-driven airflow through a building, and with the results expected to aid designers in estimating wind-driven ventilation rate in buildings.

Proceedings Title

2014 ASHRAE Winter Conference

Conference Dates

June 28-July 2, 2014

Conference Location

Seattle, WA

Pub Type

Conferences

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Keywords

Natural Ventilation, PIV, wind tunnel

Citation

J., L. (2014), Wind-driven Airflow through Building Openings: Preliminary experimental results using Particle Image Velocimetry, 2014 ASHRAE Winter Conference, Seattle, WA, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=915352 (Accessed October 13, 2025)