Performance of a solar chimney by varying design parameters

Abstract

Trombe walls and solar chimneys are not widely used or well known in South Africa. A previous Green Building Handbook article described the University of Fort Hare teaching complex in East London (Stratford, 2012) that inter alia used a trombe system for a naturally ventilated building. This article explores the use of these passive devices further. Solar chimneys are passive elements that use solar energy to induce a buoyancy force that drives airflow and naturally ventilate the building. Buoyancy refers to one of the mechanisms by which motion in fluids such as air is caused by natural means. Buoyancy forces are induced by density differences due to the variation of temperature of the fluid: warmer and thus lighter fluid rises and cooler and thus denser fluid sinks.