Improving the thermal performance of a windcatcher employing cooling pipes with annular fins: Numerical evaluation

Abstract

To improve the thermal performance of a windcatcher, the current work employs three cooling pipes with radial fins as the heat transfer device (HTD) at its entrance. The proposed windcatcher's heat transfer and fluid flow are numerically investigated using commercial computational fluid dynamics software. The effects of geometric parameters of the used HTD, such as (i) the number of radial fins and (ii) the diameter of the radial fins, on the thermal performance of the proposed windcatcher are studied. The current study is unique in that it applies an efficient heat transfer enhancement technique—extended surfaces or fins—to windcatchers' HTD, which previous studies have not investigated. The examination of the effect of radial fins on the performance of the windcatcher, based on various fin diameters and numbers, shows that fins' presence and size significantly impact air velocity and temperature distribution within the system. Results depicted that using radial fins inside windcatchers improves airflow efficiency and thermal performance. The best configuration for airflow lies with the 220 mm fins, while the 300 mm fins show the best cooling effect. Accordingly, the inlet temperature of the models with 220 mm, 260 mm, and 300 mm fins is greater than the simple model (without fin case) by about 4.88 %, 5.69 %, and 8.13 %, respectively. Moreover, the inlet temperature of the models with three, four, and five fins is superior to the simple model by about 4.86 %, 6.88 %, and 8.1 %, respectively. These findings suggest that careful selection of fin size and number is critical for maximizing windcatchers' performance in terms of ventilation and cooling. The insights gained from these results can guide the design of more efficient windcatcher systems for sustainable building applications.