Abstract

In today’s world, the significance of energy and energy conservation is a

common knowledge. Wind towers can save the electrical energy used to
provide thermal comfort during the warm months of the year, especially
during the peak hours. In this paper, we propose a new design for wind
towers. The proposed wind towers are installed on top of the buildings, in
the direction of the maximum wind speed in the region. If the desired wind
speed is accessible in several directions, additional wind towers can be
installed in several positions. The proposed wind tower can also rotate and
set itself in the direction of the maximum wind speed. In the regions where
the wind speed is low, to improve the efficiency of the system a solar
chimney or a one-sided wind tower can be installed in another part of the
building in the opposite direction. Using transparent materials in the
manufacturing of the proposed wind towers improves the use of natural
light inside the building. The major advantage of wind towers is that they
are passive systems requiring no energy for operation. Also, wind towers
reduce electrical energy consumption and environmental pollution.

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Keywords
Passive cooling system
Wind tower
Thermal comfort
Energy
Solar chimney

1. Introduction
Wind towers or wind catchers are small towers installed on top of
buildings. Wind towers have different shapes and structures. For centuries
wind towers have been used for ventilation and cooling of buildings in the
hot and arid or humid areas [1]. Wind towers are still used in some areas of
Middle East and Egypt (Fig. 1, Fig. 2). By leading the outside air into the
building, wind towers serve as a natural ventilation system for workplaces
and houses.

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Fig. 1. The view of one-sided wind towers in Meybod city, Yazd province,
Iran [1].

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 Fig. 2. The one-sided wind tower of a house in Al-Jawhara in Cairo,
Egypt [1], [2].
Bahadori is a pioneer in research on wind towers who has worked on wind
towers’ operation and efficiency for almost 40
years [1], [3], [4], [5], [6], [7], [8], [9], [10], [11], [12], [13]. He introduced
two new designs of wind towers: the wind towers with wetted columns, and
the wind towers with wetted surfaces. Wind towers with wetted columns
consist of unglazed ceramic conduits stacked lengthwise on top of one
another or thick dampers. Water is uniformly sprayed on the surface of the
column, dampening the entire column. The excessive water leaving the
column is collected in a sump located at the bottom of the wind tower and
can be reused using a pump (Fig. 3). This way, the proposed design can
utilize the evaporative cooling potential to deliver much cooler air to the
building [1], [6], [7].

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Fig. 3. Cross-section of a wind tower with wetted columns [1], [8].
In the areas where wind speed is low, wind towers with wetted surfaces can
be used. The surface of the wind tower consists of a series of straws or
cellulose called pads commonly used in evaporative coolers (Fig. 4). These
pads are placed at the apertures on top of the wind tower and are kept wet
by spraying water on them. The air passing through these pads is
evaporatively cooled and therefore its density is increased. Since the cooler
air is heavier than the ambient air, there will be a downward circulation of
the air [1], [6], [7]. In Fig. 4, wind tower is combined with an air heater or
solar chimney [1], [8]. In this design, the airflow conducted outside through
doors and windows of the rooms and solar chimney. In winter, when wind
towers are not operating (i.e., dampers D2, D3 and D4 are closed), the solar
chimney can naturally warm the room [1], [8].

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Fig. 4. Cross-section of a wind tower with wetted surfaces, with a solar
chimney [1], [8].
Bahadori et al. [13], [14], [15], [16], [17], [18], [19] examined the new
designs of wind towers theoretically and experimentally and compared
their performance with that of the conventional wind towers. Results
showed that both new designs performed better than the conventional wind
towers. The evaporative coolers currently used in the hot and arid regions
can be easily replaced by the new designs of wind towers, bringing
significant saving in the electrical energy during the warm months.
The influence of wind speed and direction on the ventilation capacity of
one-sided wind towers was investigated both experimentally and
theoretically [20]. A wind tunnel was used to obtain the experimental
results. The roof of one-sided wind towers used during the experiment was
flat, inclined or curved. Results showed that the internal pressure field and
induced airflow rate inside the wind towers were strongly influenced by the
geometry of the wind tower’s roof and wind direction. Also, the results of
theoretical and experimental methods were very close. These results help
improve the design of one-sided wind towers [20]. In another study, the
smoke visualization method was used to obtain empirical results for the
main flow characteristics around and inside different types of one-sided
wind towers [21]. Using this method, the operation of these types of wind
towers was analyzed. Results showed that the wind tower with curved roof
had better performance than other types of wind towers.
Montazeri et al. [22] numerically, analytically, and experimentally
investigated the operation of a two-sided wind tower. A wind tunnel was
used to measure the experimental results. The model wind tower was
connected to a model house. In the investigation of experimental and
numerical model, the pressure coefficient distribution and airflow pattern
around and through the wind tower at various wind angles were evaluated.
Results demonstrated that the maximum performance is obtained at 90°
angle. Also, numerical and analytical modeling results were in good
agreement with the experimental results. These results help improve the
design of two-sided wind towers.
Zarandi [23] investigated the thermal behavior of conventional wind towers
in Yazd, a city in the middle of Iran popular for its conventional wind
towers. He analytically and numerically studied 53 conventional wind
towers with optimum operation and recorded their specifications. Results
illustrated the formal characteristics of wind towers with optimum
performance. The information obtained from their study helps designing
new structures with better performance. Yavarinasab and
Mirkhalili [24] examined the optimum relationship among the length,
width, and height of wind towers. They obtained the linear regression
equation due to relationship between coefficients. The equation can be used
to obtain the optimum model.
Ghadiri et al. [25] numerically investigated the performance of square wind
towers with different dimensions in hot and arid regions. They introduced
wind towers as a green ventilation system capable of increasing the air
quality inside buildings with minimum energy consumption. In another
study, Ghadiri et al. [26] examined the effect of traditional wind towers’
geometry on the internal thermal behavior of a building. They used
FLUENT software for simulation of two different square wind towers.
Results of their studies help the researchers to better understand how the
traditional wind towers work.
Dehnavi et al. [27] studied the effect of physical properties of square wind
towers (such as length to width ratio and height to air openings height
ratio) on their performance and found the optimum characteristics of
square wind towers for best performance. Their results also show a good
agreement between the numerical and experimental methods. Masrour et
al. [28] examined the air circulation in the traditional wind towers and
buildings. They compared the mass flow rate of intake air into the building
with different wind speeds in different directions during the day. The
results obtained can be used for designing better wind towers with higher
performance.
Tavakolinia [29] suggested using a wind tower and a solar chimney in a
building for natural ventilation and heating. In fact, a passive cooling
system was used to create thermal comfort for inhabitants. The wind tower
and solar chimney were combined with an underground air channel. Such
system reduces energy use, CO2 emission, and pollution.
Elmualim [30] installed a wind tower to allow passive ventilation of a
seminar room in the School of Construction Management and Engineering,
University of Reading, UK. He analyzed the performance of the wind tower
using ventilation tracer gas measurements, indoor climate measurements
(temperature, humidity, CO2), and interviewing the building’s occupants.
He also evaluated the observed ventilation results with those predicted by
an explicit ventilation model and the AIDA1 implicit ventilation model.
Results confirmed that wind tower is a useful tool for thermal comfort.
Goudarzi et al. [31] theoretically and experimentally studied a new design
of wind tower. The wind tower includes a four-quadrant-peak wind-catcher
rooftop, nozzles, and turbines (Fig. 5). To obtain numerical results, a
mathematical model is investigated. For evaluation of numerical results
and improvement the mathematical model, the experimental results are
used. The numerical and experimental results showed that the wind power
in this wind tower is a function of several parameters; the most important
of them are speed and direction of ambient air around the building. Also,
there was a good agreement between the numerical and experimental
results. This wind tower with its simple design is a possible and suitable
choice for power generation in residential and commercial scale
applications.

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Fig. 5. Schematic representation of the wind tower proposed by Goudarzi et
al. [31].
Elzaidabi [32] investigated a new indirect evaporative cooling system that
uses a psychometric energy core (PEC) unit. The authors built an indirect
evaporative cooler system by combining a modified wind tower and a
diamond shape PEC unit (Fig. 6). The PEC-Wind tower was numerically
and experimentally evaluated for different parameters such as wind
velocity, fan velocity and water flow rate. Results showed that the system
had good performance with over 80% cooling capacity. Under controlled
operation conditions, the unit could generate about 2.4 kW cooling capacity
and achieved a COP of 33.56.

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Fig. 6. Schematic representation of the modified wind tower with the PEC and
fans [32].
Pearlmutter and colleagues [33], [34], [35] developed and studied, both
experimentally and theoretically, a multi-stage down-draft evaporative cool
tower (DECT). The DECT (Fig. 7) was built in a glazed courtyard located at
the heart of a building complex in the arid Negev Highlands of southern
Israel. In this system, dry ambient air enters the upper part of the tower.
After the air is cooled by water spraying system, it moves to the bottom of
the tower. In this part, the airflow is mixed with other airstream and the
mixture is cooled by evaporation. The experimental results demonstrated
that during summer days, the outlet air was 10 °C cooler than the inlet air.
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Fig. 7. Schematic representation of the DECT [33], [34], [35].
Soutullo et al. [36], [37] built cylindrical cross section evaporative wind
towers for thermal ventilation of urban spaces and analyzed and optimized
their operation. For this purpose, they considered two theoretical models: a
thermal model and a fluid model. In the thermal model, an auxiliary fan
and nozzles have been used. In the fluid model however, there was no fan
or nozzle. Fig. 8, Fig. 9 show these cooling systems. Wind, temperature and
humidity measurements showed that on average the wind towers decreased
the temperature by 3.5 °C. Also, the average saturated cooling efficiency
was approximately 32%. In another research, Soutullo et
al. [38] numerically and experimentally studied the physical processes
taken place in an evaporative wind tower. The model was evaluated in
summer when the weather was hot and dry. Numerical and experimental
results showed an average temperature drop of 6.5 °C and an average
increase of relative humidity of 27%.
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Fig. 8. View of the cylindrical evaporative wind towers in Madrid [37].

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Fig. 9. View of the wind catcher installed at the top of each tower shown in fig.
8 [37].
Issa and Chang [39] investigated the performance of a multi-stage wind
tower for internal cooling. A mathematical model was used to evaluate the
temperature, wind velocity, and relative humidity. Fig. 10 shows a three-
stage wind tower system consisting of two interconnected venturi tubes.
The wind tower was designed for the dry and hot climate of rural West
Texas. Results demonstrated that the wind tower showed good
performance regarding thermal comfort and was environmentally friendly.

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 Fig. 10. Schematic representation of a three-stage wind tower system [39].
Ji et al. [40] evaluated a wind tower system in China using EnergyPlus
simulation. The wind towers (Fig. 11) were installed on top of an office
building in Beijing. Results illustrated that the wind towers reduced the
inside temperature by more than 2 °C. The wind towers were useful for
almost 50% of engaged hours in a period when the basic air conditioning
was needed. Also, using openable top-hung windows may improve the
performance of the system in naturally ventilating the building. This system
is energy efficient with potential positive impact on Beijing’s economy.

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Fig. 11. View of the wind tower model with its dimensions [40].
Saadatian et al. [41] reviewed wind tower technologies. They showed that
wind towers can be used as a sustainable cooling and ventilation method to
compensate for lack of energy supply. They suggested use of wind towers as
a green architectural feature in the future generation of buildings. They also
suggested use of hybrid wind towers, a combination of mechanical cooling
and natural ventilation systems.
The first wind towers were built approximately 1200 years ago in the
central and hot and arid regions of Iran [1], [42], [43], [44]. Subsequently
the technology spread to other regions of Iran, other Middle East countries,
and Egypt. Fig. 12 illustrates some regions of Iran and other Middle East
countries and also Egypt where conventional and traditional wind towers
have been used [1]. Table 1 summarizes the important features of different
types of traditional wind towers and their functionalities.

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Fig. 12. The regions in Iran and other Middle East countries as well as Egypt
that use wind towers [1].
Table 1. Traditional wind towers used in various climatic zones of the Middle
East [1], [45].

Hot and Hot and Dry and

Climatic zone Hot and dry Hot and dry Hot and dry
humid humid semi hot
South-
Air direction North-east Breeze North-west North-west North
west
Shape of cross- Square/rectangle
Square Rectangle Rectangle Square Square
section hexagon, octagon

Average 0.5×0.8 0.5×0.15

1×1 - 1×1 1×1
dimensions (m) 0.7×1.1 1.20×0.60
One story 5 And 1.5 From
Height (m) 3–5 3–5 1.80–2.10
above roof above roof
Direction
according to the Diagonal Diagonal Ordinary Ordinary Diagonal Ordinary
airblow
Ceiling of the
45° Slope 30° Slope 45° Slope 30° Slope 45° Slope 30° Slope
Wind tower
 Dining room and Dinning Only Dinning plus
Ventilated area All rooms All rooms
basement plus others basement one room
One, two-
Airblow Multi-side Multi-side One-side One-side One-side
side
Evaporative
Sometimes Never Sometimes Sometimes Never Never
cooling

2. The proposed design

Conventional and traditional wind towers are categorized into four general
types.

2.1. One-sided wind towers

The air openings of this type of wind towers are only open in the desired
direction of the wind. There is no opening in other directions (Fig. 13).

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Fig. 13. A view of a one-sided wind tower in Ardakan city, Yazd province,
Iran [1].
The main goal of this paper is to explore a new design of wind towers. The
modern wind tower can be used to create natural ventilation in buildings
and thermal comfort for occupants in windy regions. The design,
components, and performance of the newly designed wind tower are
discussed.
2.2. Two-sided wind towers
From architectural point of view, these are simple and rather small wind
towers. In comparison with the one-sided wind towers, the two-sided ones
are more efficient for circulating airflow and have better performance (Fig.
14). This type of wind tower has two roles: blowing and sucking airflow into
the building.

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Fig. 14. Two-sided wind towers of the underground water reservoir in Dowlat
Abad Garden, Yazd, Iran [1].

2.3. Four, six, eight-sided wind towers

Four, six, eight-sided wind towers are bigger and also usually taller than the
previous two types. The height and the structure of each opening depend
directly on the climate of the region the wind tower is used in (Fig. 15).

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 Fig. 15. A two story wind tower along with the dome (Kolah-farangi) of the
Aghazadeh mansion in Abarkuh city, Yazd, Iran [1], [46].

2.4. Cylindrical wind towers

Cylindrical wind towers are the most advanced type of wind towers with
better performance than the other three types of wind towers previously
described (Fig. 16).

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Fig. 16. A cylindrical wind tower in Yazd, Iran [1].
Conventional and traditional wind towers have several limitations. Some of
these limitations are:

−
They allow small birds and insects to enter the building.

−
The head of wind towers is fixed and cannot rotate in the direction of
the maximum ambient air.

−
A part of inlet air flow exit without circulating in the building.

−
 They do not have any application in regions with very low wind
speed-high erosion against rain, wind and sun.

−
Installation limitations and the number of wind towers that can be
used in one building.

The proposed wind tower (Fig. 17) is designed to address the limitations of
conventional and traditional wind towers and improve their performance.
It is designed to be installed in the maximum wind speed direction of the
region.

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Fig. 17. A view of the proposed wind tower.

2.5. Design of the wind tower’s components

Fig. 18 shows the details of the proposed wind tower. The proposed wind
tower has an air opening in the direction of the maximum wind speed of the
region. The cross section of the proposed design can be a square, a
rectangle, or a circle. The new design has several components described
below:
1.
Head: The head includes a moving column that can be opened and
closed manually or electronically. The roof of the wind tower is
inclined to prevent water from entering the building in the rainy or
 snowy days. The screen prevents small birds, insects and solid
particles suspended in the air to enter the building.
2.
Column: This part of the wind tower is fixed and can be installed on
the rooftop using bolts. The interior surface of this column is
equipped with a rail route to allow easy movement of the head of the
wind tower. The column can be designed to accommodate the flat and
inclined roofs.
3.
Windows: Two windows are installed at the lower end of the column
to control the airflow. They can be sliding windows and can be
opened or closed manually or electronically.

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Fig. 18. Schematic representation of the proposed wind tower.
The dimensions of the wind tower depend on several parameters including:
(1) the mass flow rate required for air conditioning and thermal comfort,
(2) the dimensions of the building and the material used in the building, (3)
wind rate in the region, and (4) building security.

The proposed wind tower will be built from the same material as the
building on which the wind tower will be installed. For example, for
wooden buildings, wooden wind towers will be used. Weather condition of
the region (e.g. humidity, rain, snow) will also be considered when selecting
the proper material for building the wind towers. Using the material to
reduce moisture on internal surface of wind tower can reduce the rate of
relative humidity of inlet airflow. Transparent materials can also be used in
the manufacturing of the wind tower to maximize use of natural light inside
the building.

In conditions that proper wind speed is accessible from different directions

at different times of the day/season, a proposed wind tower with a rotating
head capable of setting itself to allow maximum input can be used. The
cross section of the rotating wind tower has to be circular (Fig. 19, Fig. 20).

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Fig. 19. The view of the proposed circular wind tower.
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Fig. 20. Schematic representation of the proposed circular wind tower.
A wind vane can be used to detect the direction of the wind. The wind
tower’s head can be rotated manually or electronically to face the direction
of the maximum wind speed.

2.6. Applications
The proposed wind towers can be used for passive ventilation of residential
buildings, closed arenas, and commercial and administrative buildings. The
number of wind towers will depend on the ventilation rate and thermal
comfort of the building. A combination of methods can be employed to
obtain proper ventilation and thermal comfort. For example one can use:
(1) a wind tower and one or more windows, (2) a wind tower and a solar
chimney or air heater, (3) two wind towers in different directions.
The first method is best suited for small spaces like a single room or a
hallway. The air enters through the wind tower, and after circulating inside
the room, exits through one or more windows (Fig. 21).

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Fig. 21. Schematic representation of air movement in the first method.
In the second method, a solar chimney or an air heater is used in another
part of the building (Fig. 22). In this design, the air enters through the wind
tower and exits the building through doors, windows, and the solar
chimney. In winter, when wind tower is not operating, the solar chimney
can warm the room naturally.

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Fig. 22. Schematic representation of air movement in the second method.
When wind speed is low, air heater or solar chimney can create natural
airflow in the building; the fresh air enters the building through wind tower
as the warm air exits through the air heater or solar chimney.
In the third method, two (or more) wind towers are installed; one in the
direction of the maximum wind speed and another in the opposite direction
(Fig. 23). The coefficient of air pressure is positive (Cp>0) for the wind
tower which is in the direction of the maximum wind speed and negative
(Cp<0) for the other one. Based on the fundamental of fluid mechanics, due
to the pressure difference or negative pressure gradient, the air is sucked
out of the building through the wind tower that is in the opposite direction
of the maximum wind speed. Based on the direction of the maximum wind
speed, the proposed wind towers in the third method can be adjusted
manually or electronically for best results.

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Fig. 23. Schematic representation of air movement in the third method.
If possible, ventilation rate can be improved by installing a dome or Kolah-
farangi (Fig. 24). Use of Kolah-farangi facilitates the use of natural light
inside the building too.
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Fig. 24. Schematic representation of using a combination of two wind towers
and a Kolah-farangi as the ventilation system of a building.
Kolah-farangi has several windows that can be opened or closed to let the
air flow in and out of the building. When the windows are opened, due to
the pressure difference or negative pressure gradient, the air is sucked out
of the building through Kolah-farangi and wind tower (Fig. 24). Installing a
Kolah-farangi increases the ventilation rate and therefore, the thermal
comfort of the residents.
Buildings sector accounts for more than 40% of the world’s total energy
consumption [41], [47], and the energy used for ventilation, heating, and
cooling systems accounts for more than 60% of the total energy
consumption in buildings [41], [48]. The modern wind towers decrease the
electrical energy consumption of the buildings, especially during the peak
times, between 20 and 80%. Also, the proposed design can help to reduce
environmental pollution. Wind is a renewable energy. Using wind towers in
windy regions can reduce the consumption of electrical energy in the
residential and commercial buildings in these areas. For example, in most
parts of Canada wind speed is suitable for using the new designs of wind
towers (Fig. 25). Fig. 26 shows an example of using the proposed wind
towers in a commercial building. The wind towers play two roles: air
conditioning and lighting.
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Fig. 25. Numerical simulation of the Mean Wind Speed at height of 30 m
above ground during summer across Canada [49].

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Fig. 26. Application of the proposed wind towers in a commercial building.

3. Summary and conclusion

This study proposes a new design of wind towers that improves the
performance of wind towers in natural ventilation. The proposed wind
towers have several important features, including:

−
Easy installation;
 −
Low maintenance cost;

−
The implementation of the design does not require sophisticated
technology;

−
The ability to rotate and set itself in the direction of the maximum
wind speed;

−
They are passive cooling systems and work without electrical energy;

−
The wind towers can be combined with an air heater or solar
chimney, or another wind tower in the opposite direction and Kolah-
farangi to increase the ventilation rate of the building;

−
Using transparent materials in manufacturing of the wind towers
allows more natural light inside the building;

−
Using channel, the air flows to any part of the building.

The previously designed wind towers and cool towers generally require
evaporative cooling systems. The proposed design however, does not
require such system. The proposed design of wind towers can help save
energy. These wind towers can be used in most countries, especially in the
developing countries. The use of these wind towers reduces greenhouse gas
emission and air pollution.

4. Suggestions for further studies

Wind towers are passive cooling systems that can be used in the residential,
commercial and administrative buildings and small covered arenas in hot
and arid or hot and humid regions. Two new designs of wind towers that
called ‘wind tower with wetted columns’ and ‘wind tower with wetted
surfaces’ are useful for hot and arid regions [1]. More work is needed to
develop such modern wind towers. Future studies should consider: (1)
simulation and computational fluid dynamic (CFD) modeling for analyzing
fluid and thermal, (2) experimental wind tunnel and smoke visualization
approach for comparing the experimental and numerical results, (3)
building and installing the newly designed wind towers on actual buildings
to evaluate their practicality, and (4) analyzing the newly designed wind
towers to improve their performance and examine their other potential
applications.
Other alternatives and applications of wind towers, e.g. the use of a
combined wind tower and subterranean canal (Fig. 27) should also be
examined.

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Fig. 27. Air moves in a building through wind tower, underground canal and
solar chimney [50].
Finally, different countries have to use passive technologies like new
designs of wind towers. These technologies can solve the world’s energy
crisis and global warming. Wind towers can be employed as a green
architectural feature in the future building generation.