Smoke control based on a solar-assisted natural ventilation system

The possibility of using the same system for natural ventilation and smoke control is examined. As an example, a prototype building is proposed. The proposed prototype is an eight-storey building with a solar chimney on top of the atrium. Reduced scale model experiments and Computational fluid dynamics analysis are conducted. As a result, when the area ratio of outlet to inlet is greater than 2, air change rate of the utility space reaches over 2 times per hour and in an event of a fire breaking out in the atrium, the neutral pressure plane of the smoke layer stays inside the chimney. Smoke infiltration into adjacent spaces used for evacuation is prevented.