Design of a new hybrid windcatcher and ground source heat pump system

In order to supply the thermal load of a building, a huge amount of energy is consumed. Therefore, it is necessary to use renewable energy sources in today’s architecture. As a matter of fact, this issue has begun to be the focus of many studies worldwide making the topic even more interesting. In this regard, the wind has always been known as an outstanding renewable source of energy used in Iran for thousands of years. Windcatchers, known as Badgirs in Iran, are notably used in warm-humid and hot-dry climates to make the best use of wind energy in these areas. However, Badgirs are neglected in today’s life due to the limitation associated with their use in modern buildings. Accordingly, the current study aims to take into account some advantages of the windcatchers (Badgirs) in addition to highlighting their effect in both reducing energy consumption and providing thermal comfort. In previous research, humidification and similar solutions have been used to provide cooling and heating by a windcatcher, however, in none of them the Ground source heat pump system has not been used for this purpose. This study proposes a system consisting of a windcatcher and a Ground Source Heat Pump system for a building in Yazd, Iran. For this purpose, the study is conducted in three steps. First, current literature is studied. Second, the proposed system is simulated using Transys software. Finally, a mathematical calculation is performed. The simulation model consists of a room located in Yazd with width, length, and height of 4m, 6m and 3.5m, respectively. The findings show the positive effect of the proposed system in improving thermal comfort and energy by about 37.6% in summer and 7% in winter.