Field test of PV-solar chimney to enhance natural ventilation in an exhibition hall: A case study

Solar chimney ventilation has been widely studied in simulations and small-scale experiments, however, field investigations in real buildings remain limited, particularly regarding the dynamic response of ventilation performance to outdoor climate conditions. To clarify this issue, a field test was conducted on a photovoltaic (PV) - solar chimney ventilation system in an exhibition hall with a glass curtain wall structure. Several human-body heat simulators were used to reproduce realistic indoor thermal loads, which were designed for a large public space. The study evaluated the ventilation performance and heat removal across three ventilation modes: buoyancy-driven, wind-driven, and hybrid-driven. The results showed that the solar chimney significantly improved indoor ventilation efficiency, with the chimney wall temperature peaking at 37.7 °C during the sunny day, leading to a 6.9 °C increase in exhaust air temperature under thermal-driven ventilation. Ventilation rates were directly proportional to the temperature difference between the indoor and outdoor temperatures. Under the wind-driven ventilation conditions, the outdoor wind speed enhanced air movement, achieving an average rate of 1105.7 m³/h, although fluctuations in wind speed reduced the reliability of heat removal. Hybrid-driven ventilation increased airflow by 8.8 % and indoor heat removal by 20.8 % compared to buoyancy-driven ventilation, demonstrating both higher efficiency and greater reliability than the individual buoyancy- or wind-driven modes. Climatic factor analysis revealed solar radiation as the most significant contributor to ventilation performance. This study provides valuable insights for the optimization of solar chimney designs in large spaces and presents a promising approach for energy-efficient and sustainable building design.