CFD simulations for examining natural ventilation in the learning spaces of an educational building with courtyards in Madurai

This paper attempts to investigate the potential of courtyards in optimizing natural ventilation and improving comfort levels in the learning spaces of a naturally ventilated educational institution with courtyards in the warm-humid climatic region of Madurai. Field measurements and experimental studies were carried out to predict the indoor and outdoor environmental conditions. The numerical study was carried out using computational fluid dynamics-based simulations using Ansys Fluent as the solver. The main aim of the simulation is to understand the airflow pattern and air velocity fields inside the classrooms surrounding the courtyards for different wind directions. The computational fluid dynamics results were validated by comparing it with the experimental results obtained in the current study and numerical results from other studies. The major findings of the current study suggest that courtyards with an aspect ratio of 1:2, orientations of openings at an angle of 0–20° to the predominant wind directions and the overall percentage of openings between 15 and 30% in buildings in Madurai region can enhance natural ventilation and thus improve thermal comfort of the occupants.

Practical application: Naturally ventilated buildings in warm-humid climates have difficulty in providing thermal comfort to the occupants. CFD tools have been used to predict the ventilation performance of a naturally ventilated educational building with courtyards. The CFD results were helpful in identifying the implication of building design on the indoor air flow pattern. The recommendations given in this paper are applicable to any building type which relies on natural ventilation for thermal comfort provided they have similar building configurations, boundary conditions and weather conditions. The study is intended to help architects and building designers in the effective design of naturally ventilated buildings with respect to its climatic conditions.