Assessing stack-induced infiltration loads by predicting neutral pressure levels in high-rise buildings

초록

Accurate energy demand simulation in high-rise buildings requires evaluating the impact of stack-induced infiltration. This study introduces a simplified method for calculating infiltration loads by predicting the neutral pressure level (NPL) based on key architectural and atmospheric data. The NPL location of the elevator shaft was determined through a mass balance approach by simplifying a multi-zone building to a single zone group on each floor. Based on the predicted NPL, the stack-induced pressure distribution was calculated to estimate the building's infiltration rates. The method focuses exclusively on airflow driven by the stack effect, making it especially suitable for mid- and high-rise buildings where vertical airflow dominates. Case studies revealed significant variations in heating and cooling loads-up to 55%-due to differences in shaft planning, such as the number of vertical zones and service zone configuration. These findings underscore the importance of incorporating the vertical shaft plan into energy simulation. The proposed method provides comprehensive insights into the infiltration profiles by floor and can serve as a basis for developing strategies to manage load imbalances between floors.

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