Different scenarios to enhance thermal comfort by renewable-ecological techniques in hot dry environment

Abstract

Recently, building thermal studies have focused more and more on providing the right living conditions inside buildings, houses, schools, hospitals, etc., especially in hot-dry regions to defeat energy consumption dilemmas generally coming from fossil fuels source by renewable energy. In this paper, a field of experiments in actual conditions is conducted to investigate the influence of external parameters on the occupant's thermal comfort inside a typical dry region house. The obtained results are projected directly on the psychometric chart to position the real thermal comfort current situation. The results confirm the direct influence and indirect influence of external climatic conditions (temperature and humidity, respectively) on internal comfort. Two scenarios with renewable techniques are investigated experimentally based on the obtained results. An earth-to-air heat exchanger (EAHE) and solar chimney (SC) are connected separately to a similar building, and parameters affecting thermal comfort are discussed. The results show that both techniques improve thermal comfort inside the structure with efficiently saving energy. Renewable energy can enhance thermal comfort with significant power- and cost-saving in hot-dry regions.

Keywords

• Hot-dry region
• Thermal balance
• Earth-to-air heat exchanger
• Solar energy
• Solar chimney
• Renewable energy