Models of Air Flow and Heat Transfer in Low Energy Buildings
S. Fitzgerald (BP Institute, University of Cambridge)
We present a series of models of the natural ventilation of buildings, subject to both wind and buoyancy forcing, and accounting for the impact of thermal mass. We describe the different flow regimes which may develop and also describe the evolution of the flow if the forcing changes. This leads to recognition of the importance of the magnitude and rate of change of the forcing in controlling non-linear transitions in the flow regime, and therefore in controlling the interior conditions.