Airflow and heat transfer in double skin facades

Airflow and heat transfer simulation was conducted for a DSF system equipped with a venetian blind, using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) with RNG turbulence model, for a three-level combination of slat tilt angle and blind position. The CFD prediction was validated using experimental data collected for a mechanically ventilated DSF equipped with venetian blinds. The predicted trends in glass and blind surface temperatures of the CFD model are compared well with the experimental measurements. The present study indicates that the presence of venetian blinds influences the surface heat transfer coefficients (SHTCs), the temperature and the air distribution in the DSF system. For the cases considered, the changes in the position of the blinds (outer, middle, and inner) have more effect on the distribution of temperature, velocity, and SHTCs compared to the changes in the slat angles (θ = 0°, 45°, 90°).

► Airflow and heat transfer simulation was conducted for a double skin facade system.
► The venetian blinds influence the SHTCs, the temperature and air distributions.
► The changes in the blind position have more influence than the slat angle changes.