Prediction of buoyancy-induced pressure difference across exterior walls of high rise residential buildings

It is very important to estimate the stack pressure difference across exterior walls for understanding the energy impacts of infiltration and ventilation in high-rise buildings, because stack pressure is likely to significantly affect energy load and is sustained over a long period. This paper presents a simple prediction strategy for estimating the pressure distribution in high-rise residential buildings, using key parameters that affect the magnitude and distribution of stack pressure. The strategy is composed of two procedures: first, the stack pressure is predicted from parameters such as the height of the elevator shaft, the location of the neutral pressure level for each shaft, and the interior temperature of each shaft. Then, the pressure distribution of each floor is calculated using the equivalent leakage areas of the exterior and interior walls, by which finally the pressure difference across the exterior walls can be estimated. To verify the feasibility of this strategy, the predicted pressure differences across exterior walls were compared to measured data of a high-rise residential building with multiple elevator zoning. The results show that this strategy can predict pressure distribution quickly with satisfactory results for both the architectural designer and HVAC engineer.