Wind and Ventilation

Atmospheric or Barometric Pressure

The pressure exerted by the

atmosphere as a consequence of
gravitational attraction exerted upon
the “column” of air lying directly above
the point in question

• Measured by many varieties of

barometer and is expressed in several
unit systems.

• The most common unit used is the

hectoPascal. 1 hPa = 1mb = 100N/m2

• A standard atmosphere has been

defined in terms of equivalence to each
of the above unit systems:

• 1 atm = 1013.25 hPa = 760mmHg

Surface Atmospheric Pressure Variation
Thermal Effects
 Horizontal Distribution
•Isobar a line connecting points of
equal atmospheric pressure reduced to
sea level on the maps.

Closely placed lines?

High and Low Pressure Areas
Pressure Belts
Pressure Belts
• (i) The Equatorial Low Pressure Belt
• (ii) The Sub tropic High Pressure Belts
• (iii) The Sub-polar Low Pressure Betts
• (iv) The Polar High Pressure Belt
The Equatorial Low Pressure Belt (High Temp, Low
Pressure, ITCZ)
• The sun shines almost vertically on the equator throughout the year.
• As a result the air gets warm and rises over the equatorial region and
produce equatorial low pressure.
• This belt extends from equator to 10º N and 10 º S latitudes.
• Due to excessive heating horizontal movement of air is absent here and
only conventional currents are there.
• Therefore this belt is called doldrums (the zone of calm) due to virtual
absence of surface winds.
• These are the regions of convergence because the winds flowing from sub
tropical high pressure belts converge here.
• This belt is also known as-Inter Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ
 The Sub-tropical High Pressure Belts
• The sub-tropical high pressure belts extend from the tropics to
about 35º latitudes in both the Hemispheres.
• The existence of these pressure belts is due to the fact that the
up rising air of the equatorial region is deflected towards poles
due to the earth’s rotation.
• After becoming cold and heavy, it descends in these regions
and get piled up. This results in high pressure.
• Calm conditions with feeble and variable winds are found here.
• In olden days vessels with cargo of horses passing through
these belts found difficulty in sailing under these calm
conditions.
• They used to throw the horses in the sea in order to make the
vessels lighter. Henceforth these belts or latitudes are also
called ‘horse latitudes’.
• These are the regions of divergence because winds from these
areas blow towards equatorial and sub polar low pressure
belts.
The Sub-polar low Pressure Belts
• Centrifugal force
• The sub-polar low pressure belts extend between 45ºN and the Arctic
Circle in the northern hemisphere and between 45°S and the
Antarctic Circle in the southern hemisphere.
• They are known as the North sub-polar low and the South sub-polar
low pressure belts respectively.
• Winds coming from the sub-tropical and the polar high belts converge
here to produce cyclonic storms or low pressure conditions.
• This zone of convergence is also known as polar front.
• Centrifugal force
The Polar High Pressure Belts
• In polar regions, sun never shines vertically.
• Because of low temperature, air compresses and its density increases.
Hence, high pressure is found here.
• In northern hemisphere the belt is called the North polar high
pressure belt while it is known as the South polar high pressure belt
in the southern hemisphere.
• Winds from these belts blow towards sub-polar low pressure belts.
 What’s wind?

Definition of wind
Wind is air in motion relative to the surface of the
earth.

Vertical components of atmospheric motion are

relatively small, especially near the surface of the
earth (one of the outcomes of atmospheric
stability)- aloft

Meteorologists use the term wind to denote almost

exclusively the horizontal component of the wind
produced by difference of atmospheric pressure
from place to place.

Surface winds are measured by anemometer and

wind vane.
Types of wind
• Primary Wind
• Secondary Wind
• Tertiary Wind
Primary Wind or Planetary Wind

• Primary Wind or Planetary Wind

• Primary winds constantly blow throughout the year in a particular
direction. Primary winds are also known as prevailing winds or
planetary winds. Trade winds, westerlies and easterlies are different
types of primary wind.
Trade Winds

• Trade winds are also known

as tropical easterlies.
• They start blowing from the
sub-tropical high-pressure
areas towards the
equatorial low-pressure
belt. In the Northern
hemisphere, they blow as
northeastern trades, and in
the Southern hemisphere,
they blow as southeastern
trades.
 The Westerlies
• They blow from the subtropical
high-pressure belts towards sub-
polar low-pressure belts.
• These winds are also known as
Shrieking Sixties, Furious Fifties,
and Roaring Forties.
• The westerlies of the Southern
hemisphere are more robust and
constant than the westerlies of the
Northern hemisphere.
Polar easterlies
• polar easterlies are the dry, cold prevailing winds that blow around
the high-pressure areas of the polar highs at the North and South
Poles.
Secondary or Periodic Winds
• These winds change their direction with change in season.
• Monsoons are the best example of large-scale modification of the
planetary wind system.
• Other examples of periodic winds include land and sea breeze,
mountain and valley breeze.
Land and Sea Breeze
Commonly results into cumulus cloud
Katabatic (downslope) winds occur over
slopes which are cooled.

Katabatic wind speeds do not typically not exceed 3

or 4 m/s. However, where the ground is covered
with snow or ice, katabatic winds can occur at any
time of day or night with speeds often reaching 10
m/s
Tertiary Winds or Local Winds

• Winds that blow over a small region are known as local winds.
• These winds blow between tiny low and high-pressure systems.
• Local geography has an impact on them.
HEAT
Terrestrial Radiation
Advection
Heat Budget
• The earth receives a certain amount of Insolation (short
waves) and gives back heat into space by terrestrial radiation
(longwave radiation). Through this inflow and outflow of
heat, the earth maintains a constant temperature and this
phenomenon is referred to as the heat budget of the earth.
Heat Budget
• The climate’s heat engine must not only redistribute solar heat from
the equator toward the poles but also from the Earth’s surface and
lower atmosphere back to space.
• If the total insolation received at the top of the atmosphere is
considered to be 100%, a certain amount of energy is reflected,
scattered and absorbed while passing through Earth’s atmosphere
and only the remaining amount of radiation reaches the earth’s
surface.
• Approximately 30 units are reflected to space even before reaching
the earth’s surface.
• The remaining 70 units are absorbed, 23 units within the atmosphere
and 47 units by the earth’s surface.
• The earth radiates back 47 units in the form of terrestrial radiation.
Lapse Rate
Lapse rate
 Wind Measurements

Wind is a vector quantity comprised of direction and speed, measured using wind vanes and anemometers.

Wind direction is reported by the direction

from which wind originates.

Both direction and speed are usually

measured at a 10m height above the
ground.

Wind speeds are usually reported at

m/s .

The Beaufort and Douglas scales

characterize winds according to their
speed.
 Wind Measurements

Wind is a vector quantity comprised of direction and speed, measured using wind vanes and anemometers.

Wind direction is reported by the direction

from which wind originates.

Both direction and speed are usually

measured at a 10m height above the
ground.

Wind speeds are usually reported at

m/s .

The Beaufort and Douglas scales

characterize winds according to their
speed.
High and Low Pressure Areas
Wind Movement in Built Environment
 Stack Effect

The motive force is the 'stack pressure'

multiplied by the cross-sectional area.
The stack pressure can be calculated from
the equation:
 Obstruction by an isolated obstacle

An idealized representation of the

vertical profile of the mean wind speed
above an urban area

Schematic section showing typical pattern of air-flow over an isolated building,

depicted as streamlines (top) and general flow zones (bottom)
The extent of disturbance upwind, above and downwind of the building are
shown as approximatemultiples of the building’s height.
 Obstruction by an isolated obstacle

H/W ratio is less than 0.3–0.5

H/W ratios (0.5<H/W<0.65) H/W ratio greater than 0.65

Air-flow pattern around a tall

slab building
Flow pattern around a
sharp-edged building Flow regimes associated with different urban geometries,
drawn by Oke (1987) on the basis of wind tunnel experiments
carried out by Hussain and Lee, 1980.
 Ventilation

Need
Pollutant Removal
Thermal Comfort
Energy Conservation

Types
Passive
Active
Hybrid/ mixed mode

Driving Force
Pressure difference
Density Difference
Temperature Difference
 Factors Influencing Ventilation

1. orientation
2. Site Features and Architectural Elements
3. Landscape and Vegetation
4. cross-ventilation
5. position of openings
6. size of openings
7. controls of openings
 1. Orientation

Air flow: grid-iron lay-out Air flow: checkerboard lay-out

Perpendicular
v/s
Angular
Orientation
???
Effect of direction on the width of wind shadow
 2. Site Features and Architectural Elements

1. Terrain and topography-

Slope and Earth Mound
2. Site Features- Hot and Cool surfaces
Water v/s Asphalt

1. Roof Design
2. Projection of building
3. Mutual Shading- Shadow umbrella
2. Architectural Elements

Wing Walls
 3. Landscape and Vegetation

1. Shrubs
2. Tree Species
3. Walls

Case (a), tall trees might result in loss of wind as it gets deflected.
Case (b), small dense trees would guide the wind towards houses.

Vegetation increasing, decreasing and directing

airflow (Krishan, A. et al., 2001).
 4. Cross-Ventilation
1. Providing inlets and outlets to promote the flow of air
through a building is called cross ventilation.

2. In the absence of an outlet opening or with a full Lack of Cross Ventilation

partition there can be no effective air movement Absence of outlet opening or presence of full height partition
through a building even in a case of strong winds. there can be no effective air movement through building
 5. Position of Openings

• Air movement must be directed at the living

zone (2 m. from ground)

• Inlet should be at lower level

Effect of Opening Positions

Placing inlets low in the room and outlets high in

the room can cool spaces more effectively.

Cooler air sinks lower, while hot air rises;

therefore, locating the opening down low helps
push cooler air through the space, while locating
the exhaust up high helps pull warmer air out of
the space. Pressure Built up at inlets
 Size of Openings
The largest air velocity will be obtained through a small inlet opening with a large outlet
1. With a given elevational area
2. given total wind force (pressure × area)

This is partly due to the total

force acting on a small area,
forcing air through the opening
at a high pressure and partly
due to the ‘Venturi Effect’: in
the broadening funnel (the
imaginary funnel connecting
the small inlet to the large
outlet) the sideways expansion
of the air jet further accelerates
the particles.
 Controls of Openings

• Sashes, canopies, louvres and other elements

controlling the openings, also influence the
indoor air flow pattern.

• Sashes can divert the air flow upwards. Only

a casement or reversible pivot sash will
channel it downwards into the living zone.
 Humidification by ventilation in hot-dry climate
Example: Wind Scoop in Egypt

• Controlled air supply

• Filtering out sand and dust

• Evaporative cooling

• Humidification

The large intake opening captures air movement above the

roofs in densely built up areas.

The water seeping through the porous pottery jars

evaporates, some drips down onto the charcoal placed on
a grating, through which the air is filtered.

The cooled air assists the downward movement – a

reversed stack effect.

This device is very useful for ventilation (the above four

functions), but it cannot be expected to create an air
movement strong enough for physiological cooling
 Stack Effect

The motive force is the 'stack pressure'

multiplied by the cross-sectional area.
The stack pressure can be calculated from
the equation:
 Architectural Features to Induce Wind in Buildings
Air Catcher/ wind tower (bâdgir)
Earth Air Tunnel

Architect Hassan Fathy

The Windcatchers are known in traditional
architecture invented by Persian
designers In the Neoislamic architecture
they are recognized as the works of
Hassan Fathy. In Egypt the windcatchers
are known as "Malqaf"
 Architectural Features to Induce Wind in Buildings

Masdar Institute / Foster + Partners

 Architectural Features to Induce Wind in Buildings
Air Catcher/ wind tower (bâdgir)
Earth Air Tunnel (EAT)
 Pressure Gradient Force

Masdar City Headquarters

/ Foster + Partners
 Interesting links and videos

https://earth.nullschool.net/#current/wind/surface/level/orthographic=-273.30,28.15,852

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXuGYSM2D8k

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lg6hkKgJKKE
Questions?