Evaluation of Discharge Coefficients for Window Openings in Wind Driven Natural Ventilation

Abstract This paper describes the classical approach for calculation of wind driven airflow through large openings in buildings and discusses the fulfilment of the limiting assumptions. It is demonstrated that the limiting assumptions are not fulfilled for large openings in buildings for cross ventilation, and therefore, the classical approach is not appropriate for prediction of airflow through large openings in buildings in the cross ventilation case. Using the approach for real openings and estimating the discharge coefficient for window openings has also not been very successful. The discharge coefficient cannot be regarded as a constant and it is very difficult to estimate correct values resulting in less accuracy of prediction of natural ventilation.