Abstract
Reducing building energy demand and mitigating greenhouse gas emissions are important challenges for low-carbon building development. The solar chimney coupled with photocatalytic reactor/photovoltaic system (SC-PCR/PV) can provide passive ventilation, power generation, and atmospheric methane removal. However, its performance under open environmental conditions is affected by ambient wind, solar radiation, and reactor porosity, and the combined effects of these factors remain unclear. In this study, a three-dimensional numerical model was developed to evaluate the flow structure and system performance under different operating conditions. The results revealed that the low-concentration methane plumes at the chimney outlet were significantly deflected by the ambient wind. Reductions in porosity or ambient wind, along with increased solar radiation, enhanced the photocatalytic methane efficiency. The power generation capacity of photovoltaic modules could be improved by reducing porosity or increasing solar radiation. The increase in ambient wind significantly improved the thermal efficiency of the SC-PCR/PV, with a peak of 42.42 %. At a solar radiation of 600 W/m2, an ambient wind speed of 0 m/s, and a porosity of 0.75, the photocatalytic efficiency, methane removal rate, PV power output, and thermal efficiency were 84.46 %, 856.99 mg/h, 994.12 W, and 17.18 %, respectively. These results clarify the influences of environmental and geometric parameters on the SC-PCR/PV system and provide a basis for its design and operation.
Abstract by the authors, reproduced under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 licence. Original publication via the link below.