Indoor airflow behavior and thermal comfort in a courtyard house in warm humid tropics

Abstract

This paper assesses the effects of indoor airflow behavior modifying the indoor air temperature on thermal comfort conditions in a residential tropical courtyard building where courtyard maintains direct contacts with outdoor environment through openings found in the envelope. Results taken from a field investigation and a computer simulation reveal that given the ambient climatic conditions particular indoor airflow behaviors are sufficient to lower the indoor air temperatures below the ambient level in the courtyard as well as in surrounding internal spaces. Thus, thermal comfort condition not correlated to the number of openings but to the distribution pattern and volumetric rate of indoor airflow in enhancing heat exchange between wall surfaces and air. The optimum range of ambient wind direction, which required for optimum distribution and volumetric flow of indoor air, was found within a range of 30-60 degrees to the longitudinal axis of the courtyard and building.