Comparative ventilation performance and scenario-based applicability of wind-driven turbine ventilators in built environments

Despite widespread adoption, wind-driven turbine ventilators require performance evaluation due to suboptimal field results. The purpose of this study is to establish a systematic framework for evaluating the ventilation performance and applicability of wind-driven turbine ventilators under real-world conditions. Through experimental characterization of multiple ventilator specifications and hydraulic analysis of connected ductwork systems, this study develops a novel comparative methodology adaptable to variable inlet pressure conditions. The results demonstrate three critical findings: first, turbine ventilators typically exhibit inferior ventilation performance compared to static exhaust cowls under positive pressure conditions (P > 0); second, effective ventilation enhancement under negative pressure conditions (P < 0) necessitates maintaining upstream resistance at the lowest achievable levels; third, industrial facilities with attenuated thermal stack effects are identified as optimal application scenarios, while residential multi-extractor systems show poor performance due to inherent structural limitations. Notably, ventilation rates in residential applications show weak wind speed correlation, with turbine ventilators frequently manifesting high flow resistance characteristics. Performance disparities between bathroom and kitchen applications correlate with the inlet pressure of ventilators. The originality of this study lies in its integration of the proposed performance evaluation method with scenario-based ductwork hydraulics, providing empirical selection guidelines. These findings strongly recommend prioritizing alternative ventilation solutions in residential building designs.