natural ventilation case study on torrent research center

1. NATURAL VENTILATION
CASE STUDY
BY :- MADHUKANT P. SINGH

2. Torrent Research Center
Location:- GIDC Bhat, Bhat, Ahmedabad,
Gujarat , India.
Architect and interior consultants:- Nimish Patel and
parul Zaveri, Abhikram, Ahmedabad.

3. • The Torrent Research Centre is a complex of research laboratories with supporting facilities and
infrastructures .
• It uses passive downdraft evaporative cooling for a large-scale office building.
• This complex of research laboratories was designed to provide human comfort within the
building, with minimum use of electrical energy or mechanical appliances and also achieves
human comforts in dry hot regions without using regular HVAC (HEAT VENTILATION & AIR
CONDITIONING) system and without compromising the cost of construction.
• A technique, based on passive ventilation and evaporative cooling, was developed and tested
with a pilot laboratory before being applied to the ensemble. The result is the ventilation towers
which are the project's distinctive feature.
• Passive Downdraft Evaporative Cooling (PDEC) was attempted through a system of designated
inlets and outlet shafts which as a consequence of their locations, sizes and heights, and through
their complex but simulated and in-depth researched configuration, generate the required
movement of air in different spaces without using any mechanical or electrical energy.
INTRODUCTION

4. • The design of the building facilitates generating an air draft, assuming still air
conditions.
• The air heats up in the peripheral shafts, rises and escape through the
openings at the top.
• The air in the volume gets replaced from the usable spaces, which in turn
receives its own replacement through the concourse area, on top of which
the air inlets are located.
• The entering air is sprinkled with a fine spray of water mist at the in lets
during hot temperature outside.
• At each floor levels , sets of hopper windows designed to catch the
descending flow, can be used to divert some of the cooled air into adjacent
space having passed through the space the air then exits via high level glass
louvers opening with connect directly to the perimeter exhaust shaft towers
that suck the air and design create a circulation across the building insuring
the displacement of fresh air along the day.
Design

5. SITE PLAN

6. Building plan

7. • The fixed windows are the only decided quantum
and shaded externally, not only in the horizontal
plane by over hangs, but also in the vertical one
by the air exhaust tower which project from the
façade.
• The building are thermally massive-the
reinforced concrete construction framed
structure has cavity brick infill walls, plastered
inside and out ,and the hollow concrete blocks
filling the roof coffers, also plastered inside with
vermiculite used as an insulating materials on
both roof and walls.
• External surface are white the wall painted the
roof using a china mosaic finish.

8. .
• During the warm humid monsoon when the
use of the sprayed water would be
inappropriate , the ceiling are brought into
operation to provide additional air movement
in the office and laboratories.
• In the cooler season the operating strategy is
designed to control the ventilation particularly
at night to minimize heat loss this is done
simply by the users adjusting the Hooper
windows and opening in their individual
spaces to suit their requirements .
• Overall control of the solar heat gain is
achieved by design of the glazing.

9. Cool season strategy
(October - February)
Minimize ventilations rates
Inlets closed by shutters.
Exhausts also closed by shutter.
Insulated walls and roof reduces heat losses
Encourage ventilation during the day.
Close inlets and exhausts at night
PROCESS:

10. Hot season strategy
(March- June)
Passive evaporative cooling.
Micronisers provided a downdraft of cool air.
Ambient temperature 41℃ to 43℃.
Insulated building mass and roof.
High air change rates achievable
Micronisers to be controlled automatically by reference to
ambient temperature and relative humidity.
Night ventilation.

11. Monsoon seasons strategy
(July - September)
Maximise ventilation rate with micronisers switched off
Ceiling and wall fans to induce air movement in the
same direction as natural flow.
Air speed upper limit 1.5mt/sec.
Possibly close all exhausts in the afternoon.

12. • Evaporation cooling has been seen for
many centuries in parts of the middle
east.
• In this system, wind catchers guides
outside air over water-filled pots
,including evaporation and causing a
significant drop in temperature before
the air enters the interiors.
PASSIVE DOWN DRAUGHT COOLING:

13. • Such wind catchers become primary elements of
the architectural form also.
• Passive down draught evaporation cooling is
particularly effective in hot and dry climates. Its
has been used to effectively cool the Torrent
research Centre in Ahmedabad.
PASSIVE DOWN DRAUGHT COOLING: