Thermal chimneys for home cooling

Don't let your temper rise this summer even if mercury does. This time you are introduced with the simple and cost effective way of keeping your house cool. Yes! This time you have thermal chimney to keep your cool. Passive cooling is a primary strategy for cooling buildings without mechanical assistance. It is meant to employ natural ventilation during hot and humid climate. Most effective form of passive cooling is thermal chimney.

Thermal chimney

Thermal chimney does employ convective current to drive air out of a building. It initially creates a warm or hot zone with an exterior exhaust outlet. Then air can be drawn into the ventilating structure which is a bit above the exact level of the house. As the warm air is light in weight it gets collected in the vent and the air is driven out by the chimney. Only a small vent or ventilating rooms can be designed to perform this function. Lower part of the vent connects to the living space along with windows on the side. Air can be easily drawn through the living space to be exhausted through the upper vents. Thermal mass wall in the vent should be shaded.

Thermal Chimney construction

1. Thermal chimneys can be made in a narrow configuration area.
2. It is made out of easily heated black metal absorber inside and a glazed front outside that can reach high temperatures and be insulated from the house itself.
3. The thermal chimney must end above the roof level.
4. A metal scoop at the top which opens to the opposite side will allow heated air to exhaust.
5. The outlet openings of the chimney should be slightly larger than the inlet openings.
6. The inlets should be at low to medium height to provide airflow levels in the room.
7. Inlets result in air washing along the wall if they are close to the wall.
8. Huge houses can be cooled with night ventilation provided the fabric furnishings are minimized in the house.
9. Huge houses with night ventilation should be kept closed during the day and open during night.

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