![]() An eight-sectioned masonry windtower in Souq Waqif, Doha, Qatar Malqafs in Egypt in 1878. This wind tower has four openings and brown cloth vertical walls on the interior diagonals, so it can catch the wind from a range of directions. Windcatchers have also been used experimentally to cool outdoor areas in cities, with mixed results traditional methods include narrow, walled spaces, parks and winding streets, which act as cold-air reservoirs, and takhtabush-like arrangements (see sections on night flushing and convection, below). ![]() Windscoops have long been used on ships, for example in the form of a dorade box. Some modern windcatchers use sensor-controlled moving parts or even solar-powered fans to make semi- passive ventilation and semi- passive cooling systems. Windcatching has gained some ground in Western architecture, and there are several commercial products using the name windcatcher. Windcatchers vary dramatically in shape, including height, cross-sectional area, and internal sub-divisions and filters. The "place of invention" of windcatchers is nonetheless intensely disputed Egypt, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates all claim it. A simple, widespread idea, there is evidence that windcatchers have been in use for many millenia, and no clear evidence that they were not used into prehistory. Windcatchers of varying designs are widely used in North Africa, West Asia, and India. Windcatchers rely on local weather and microclimate conditions, and not all techniques will work everywhere local factors must be taken into account in design. Unlike powered air-conditioning and fans, windcatchers are silent and continue to function when the electrical grid power fails (a particular concern in places where grid power is unreliable and expensive, such as India). ![]() Generally, the cost of construction for a windcatcher-ventilated building is less than that of a similar building with conventional heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. Neglected by modern architects in the latter half of the 20th century, the early 21st century saw them used again, to increase ventilation and cut power demand for air-conditioning. Despite the name, windcatchers can also function without wind. Windcatchers come in various designs, depending on whether local prevailing winds are unidirectional, bidirectional, or multidirectional, on how they change with altitude, on the daily temperature cycle, on humidity, and on how much dust needs to be removed. A windcatcher, wind tower, or wind scoop ( Arabic: ملقف, Persian: بادگیر) is a traditional architectural element used to create cross ventilation and passive cooling in buildings. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |