Ventilative Cooling in Combination with Other Natural Cooling Solutions: Direct Evaporative Cooling—DEC

This chapter analyses the potential combination of ventilative cooling solutions with direct evaporative cooling (DEC) systems. The focus is on passive downdraught evaporative cooling (PDEC) towers, whose performance is described based on the analysis of monitored results. The main design aspects of PDEC towers are explained, including basic relationships and support tools for system optimization. A series of case studies is reported, illustrating different integration strategies and providing a series of examples for designers. Finally, a simulation-based approach to analysing the local potential of PDEC to reduce thermal discomfort in naturally ventilated buildings is introduced, providing a method by which DEC systems can be integrated in building projects from the early-design phases.