PASSIVE COOLING

MODULE 1

Ar. Aleena Achi Joseph

Assistant Professor (Adhoc)
Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Technology
Passive cooling
 Passive cooling is a building
design to improve the
indoor thermal comfort with low
or no energy consumption.
 This approach can be
 By preventing heat from
entering the interior (heat gain
prevention)
 By removing heat from the
building (natural cooling).
Passive Cooling Techniques
 Evaporative cooling
 Nocturnal radiative cooling
 Passive descant cooling
 Induced ventilation
 Earth sheltering/berming
 Wind tower
 Earth-air tunnels
 Insulation
 Varytherm wall.
Evaporative cooling evaporative cooling

 Evaporative cooling is a passive cooling technique in which outdoor air is

cooled by evaporating water before it is introduced in the building.
 The heat of air is used to evaporate water, thus cooling the air, which in turn
cools the living space in the building.
 The presence of a water body such as a pond, lake near the building, or a
fountain in the courtyard can provide a cooling effect.
 Particularly suited to hot and dry regions.
 The efficiency depends on the temperatures of the air and water, the vapour
content of the air, and the rate of airflow past the water surface.
Evaporative cooling
 There are two types of systems.

a. Direct Evaporative Cooling System

b. Indirect Evaporative Cooling Systems
Passive Downdraft Evaporative Cooling (PDEC)
 Evaporative cooling was extensively used in the vernacular architecture of Pakistan, Iran,
Turkey and Egypt.
 Wind catchers called 'malqafs' captured wind and directed it over porous water pots, thus
cooling the air .
 This system maintained a balance between two important parameters of passive cooling –
thermal performance and ventilation effectiveness.
Evaporative cooling
 Contemporary passive downdraft evaporative cooling systems consist of a
downdraft tower with wetted cellulose pads at the top of the tower.
 Water is distributed on the top of the pads, collected at the bottom into a
sump and recirculated by a pump.
 In some designs, water is sprayed using micronisers or nozzles in place of
pads, in others, water is made to drip.
 Thus, the towers are equipped with evaporative cooling devices at the top to
provide cool air by gravity flow.
 These towers are often described as reverse chimneys.
 Evaporative cooling
Effectiveness depends on
 Amount of cooling of the ambient air achieved.
 The rate at which this conditioned ambient air replaces the stale
air within the building.
 increased air water contact zone increase the amount of cooling.
 This factor usually dictates the height of the tower and in turn,
influences the massing of the building design.
 The rate depends on building configuration, Ventilation.
Torrent Research Center, Ahmedabad
 Torrent Research Centre, Ahmedabad


Evaporative pads in Windows
Direct Evaporative Cooling System
Guidelines
 Can be used in arid regions where there in availability of water
 Direct evaporative coolers should have an average saturation efficiency of
70% or more, and the cooled air should enter the indoor space without any
additional heat gain.
 The maximum indoor air velocity induced by the cooled air must be 1 m/s.
 The room temperature should be reduced by at least 3°C before the cool air
is discharged out of the room.
 The temperature of the cooled space should be about 4 °C below the
outdoor dry bulb temperature.
 roof forms for passive cooling in hot dry climate

Roof Surface Evaporative Cooling (RSEC)

 In a tropical country like India, roof over heats because of
solar radiation.
 Roof surfaces can be effectively and inexpensively cooled by
spraying water over suitable water-retentive materials (e.g.,
gunny bags) spread over the roof surface.
 Water absorbs heat from slab and reduce heat gain.
 Evaporation also cools the air above the roof.
 The cool air slides down and enters the living space through
infiltration and ventilation, providing additional cooling.
 Wetness affect the efficieny of the system.
 For larger surfaces, sprinklers can be used.
Roof Surface Evaporative Cooling (RSEC)
Points need to be taken note of:
 Suitable waterproofing treatment of the roof should be done.
 The roof must be covered with water absorptive and retentive
materials such as gunny bags, brick ballast, sintered fly-ash,
coconut husk or coir matting.
 During peak summer, the quantity of water needed will be more.
 The roof must be kept wet throughout the day using a water
sprayer. The sprayer can be manually operated or controlled by an
automatic moisture-sensing device.
 nocturnal cooling

Nocturnal radiative cooling

 When a surface on the earth faces the night sky, it loses heat by
radiation to the sky, and gains heat from the surrounding air by
convection.
 If the surface is a relatively good emitter of radiation, it will tend
to radiate more heat to the sky at night than it gains from the air.
 The net result is that the surface temperature drops to below that
of the air.
 This phenomenon is termed night sky radiation cooling.
 Radiative cooling is effective in the hot and dry climate where
nights are clear.
 Types of it:-
 High mass roof with insulation.
 Use of movable insulation.
 Opened at night to make roof as cold energy storage.
 Roof pond
 Unglazed solar collectors as Nocturnal Radiators
 Roof Pond
 In this system, a mass of water is
stored on the roof of the building.
 During summer days, the pond is
protected and insulated by an external,
movable and reflective insulation.
 The insulation prevents solar radiation
from reaching the water mass and keeps
it cool.
 The cool water then absorbs heat from
the rooms below and cools the indoor
air.
 At night, the insulation is removed and
the water cools by convection and
radiation
WINTER CONDITION
 Roof Pond
 Water in transparent bags or in metal / fibreglass tanks is kept on the roof, the
depth ranging from 150 to 300 mm.
 The top of the container/bag must be transparent to solar radiation whereas its
bottom (inside surface) should be of a dark colour.
 If both sides of the container are transparent, then the top surface of the roof
needs to be blackened for absorbing solar radiation.
 The movable insulation is usually of 50 mm thick polyurethane foam, reinforced with
fibreglass strands and sandwiched between aluminium skins.
 The water-proofing layer of the roof should not inhibit the heat transfer from the
pond to the interior .
 Height of slab effect efficiency.
 This technique is effective for one or two storeyed buildings.
 Desiccant Cooling
 Desiccant cooling is effective in warm and humid climates.
 To achieve thermal comfort the humidity levels has to be reduced in humid climates.
 In the desiccant cooling method, desiccant salts (a substance or chemical that absorbs or
attracts moisture from the air, causing a state of dryness (desiccation) in its vicinity) or mechanical
dehumidifiers are used to reduce humidity in the atmosphere.
 Materials having high affinity for water are used for dehumidification.
 They can be solid like silica gel, alumina gel and activated alumina, or liquids like
triethylene glycol.
 Air from the outside enters the unit containing desiccants and is dried adiabatically
before entering the living space.
 The desiccants are regenerated by solar energy.
 Sometimes, desiccant cooling is employed in conjunction with evaporative cooling, which
adjusts the temperature of air to the required comfort level.
Ventilation
 Ventilation is the introduction of ambient air into a space.
 used to control indoor air quality by diluting and displacing indoor pollutants;
 used for purposes of thermal comfort or dehumidification.

 Natural Ventilation
 Natural ventilation is the process of supplying air to and removing air from
an indoor space without using mechanical systems.
 Mechanical Ventilation
 Induced ventilation
 Wind-Induced Ventilation
 Wind ventilation is a kind of passive ventilation that uses the force
of the wind to pull air through the building.
 Wind ventilation is the easiest, most common, and often least
expensive form of passive cooling and ventilation.
 The keys to good wind ventilation design are the building
orientation and massing, as well as sizing and placing openings
appropriately for the climate.
Buoyancy Ventilation
 Ventilation induced by buoyancy due to indoor/outdoor
temperature difference.
 This method involves the heating of air in a restricted area through
solar radiation, thus creating a temperature difference and causing
air movements.
 The draft causes hot air to rise and escape to the ambient,
drawing in cooler air and thereby causing cooling.
 In effect, a solar chimney is created to cause continuous air
circulation.
Strategies for Stack Ventilation
 The ventilation rate is proportional to the area of the openings.
 Placing openings at the bottom and top of an open space will encourage natural
ventilation through stack effect.
 Openings at the top and bottom should be roughly the same size to encourage even
air flow through the vertical space.
 Towers and chimneys can be useful to carry air up and out, or skylights or
clerestories in more modest buildings.
 Multi-story buildings should have vertical atria or shafts connecting the airflows of
different floors.
 Allowing solar radiation into the space ,you can heat up the interior surfaces and
increase the temperature which will accelerate stack ventilation between the top and
bottom openings.
Earth Berming
 Earth sheltering is an age long traditional practice.
 This technique is used both for passive cooling as well as
heating of buildings
 This temperature at a depth of a few meters remains almost
stable throughout the year.
 The underground or partially sunk buildings would provide
both cooling (in the summer) and heating (in the winter) to the
living space.
 Types
 Earth Berming: This involves piling up the earth around the external walls and sometimes the
roof (at least to some extent).

 Hill Constructed: Just like the title suggests, the dwelling is built into the side of a slope or
hill. This form involves the excavation of a site and generally means that the opening to the
building will be on one side. South-facing is the most advantageous since this will receive
sunlight all year long.

 Underground/ Fully recessed Building: Underground homes obviously need the most effort
during the planning, preparation and excavation.

Factors for Earth-Sheltered Home Design
 Climate
 More effective in climates that have significant temperature extremes and
low humidity.
 Topography and Microclimate
 A south-facing slope in a region with moderate to long winters is ideal for
an earth-sheltered building. South-facing windows can let in sunlight for
direct heating, while the rest of the house is set back into the slope.
 In regions with mild winters and hot summers, a north-facing slope might be
ideal.
 Groundwater Level
 The groundwater level at your building site is also important.
 Construction Materials
 Depends on the site and the type of design.
 Materials must provide a good surface for waterproofing and insulation.
 Concrete is the most common choice for constructing earth-sheltered buildings, because
it strong, durable, and fire resistant.
 Wood can be used for both interior and light structural work.
 Steel can used for beams, bar joists, columns, and concrete reinforcement, but must be
protected against corrosion if it is exposed to the elements or to groundwater.
 Rubberized asphalt, Plastic and vulcanized sheets, Liquid polyurethanes, Bentonite can be
used for water proofing.
 Humidity
 Humidity levels may increase in earth-sheltered houses during the summer, which can cause
condensation on the interior walls.
 Air Exchange/Air Quality
 Adequate ventilation must be carefully planned in an earth-sheltered house.
 Insulation
 Can be used in cold climates.
 earth air pipe system
EARTH-AIRTUNNEL: PRINCIPLE
 Underground heat exchanger
 Also called:
 Earth-Air Heat Exchangers
 Air-to-soil Heat Exchangers
 Earth Canals etc.
EARTH-AIR TUNNEL:- PRINCIPLE
 Earth acts a source or sink
 High thermal Inertia of soil results in air temperature fluctuations being dampened deeper in
the ground.
 Utilizes Solar Energy accumulated in the soil.
 Cooling/Heating takes place due to a temperature difference between the soil and the air
 FACTORS AFFECTING THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY
 Moisture content
 Most notable impact on thermal conductivity
 Thermal conductivity increases with moisture to a certain point (critical moisture
content)
 Mineral Composition
 Soils with higher mineral content have higher conductivity
 Soils with higher organic content have lower conductivity
 Soil Texture
 Coarse textured, angular grained soil has higher thermal conductivity
 Vegetation
 Vegetation acts as an insulating agent moderating the affect of temperature
IMPORTANT DESIGN PARAMETERS
 The design parameters that impact the performance of the EAT are:
 Tube Depth
 Tube Length
 Tube Diameter
 Air Flow rate
 Tube Material
 Tube arrangement
 Open-loop system vs closed-loop system
 One-tube system vs parallel tubes system
 Efficiency
 TUBE DEPTH
 Generally 4m below the earth’s surface has a significant less temperature.
 TUBE LENGTH
 Heat Transfer depends on surface area.
 Increased length would mean increased heat transfer and hence higher efficiency
 Increased length also results in increased pressure drop and hence increases fan energy
 TUBE DIAMETER
 Smaller diameter gives better thermal performance
 Increased diameter results in reduction in air speed and heat transfer
 TUBE MATERIAL
 Tube material has little influence on performance
 Spacing between tubes should enough so that tubes are thermally independent to maximize
benefits
 Material should be like ease of installation, corrosion resistance , durable, etc
 TUBE ARRANGEMENT
Open Loop system:
 Outdoor air is drawn into tubes and delivered to
AHUs or directly to the inside of the building
 Improves IAQ (Indoor Air Quality)

Closed Loop system:

 Interior air circulates through EATs
 Increases efficiency
 Reduces problem with humidity condensing
inside tubes.
TUBE ARRANGEMENT
 EAT can be used in either:
 One-tube system
 Parallel tubes system
 One tube system may not be appropriate
to meet air conditioning requirements of
a building, resulting in the tube being too
large.
 Parallel tubes system
 More design option
 Reduce pressure drop
 Raise thermal performance
Wind Towers
 Wind towers (wind catchers) are around 5-8 meters in height at the top deck of
the building having slot along the direction of the prevailing winds.

Advantages
 They provide natural ventilation and passive cooling for the interior spaces of
buildings.
 They ventilate buildings that do not have external windows.
 They capture fresh air in any direction of the building, even if the room is not
facing the prevailing wind.
 They provide proper ventilation for many floors inside the building with no need
for artificial methods of ventilation.
 The size of the wind tower depends on the temperature of the
external air.
 If the temperature is low at the entrance to the wind tower
then the horizontal cross section must be large.
 If the temperature is high at entrance of the wind tower then the horizontal
cross section must be small, so that it can moisturize and cool the air
passing through it.
One-way Wind Towers
 These are towers placed on top of a building with air outlets that direct
prevailing air currents.
 It captures cold air and passes it through to the interior spaces of the
building.
 This type of wind tower is usually built within the thickness of the wall itself
and usually does not exceed 50 cm x 20 cm in diameter.
 In the lower end opening it does not rise more than one meter above the
ground.
 This type of one-way wind catcher is covered at its opening by a rectangular
slope or a semi-circular lid which leads to a cylindrical cellar. It is usually used
in desert areas
 Two-way Wind Towers
 In this type of towers, each opening has a specific function.
 The first is placed in the direction of the prevailing wind (to absorb the wind and leave it
inside the house).
 The second is placed in the opposite direction to absorb hot air from the rooms and release
it to the outside.

Multi-direction Wind Towers

 These are considered a development of the one-way wind tower. However, it opens in four
directions to absorb the air from every direction.
 The square shape is the most common.
 There is also a rectangular shape which has the longer side in the direction of the prevailing
wind.
