The effectiveness of natural evaporative cooling in improving internal thermal environment in hot-dry regions

This research is intended to maximise the thermal function of internal courtyard environments in hot dry regions. The empirical work was conducted during the summer using a single-family house in Al-Oyynaa, a countryside town near Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The main objective of the study is to investigate how the evaporative cooling tower can reduce the internal courtyard air temperature. The courtyard is then utilised as a source for cooling the surrounding house spaces. Three experimental procedures were conducted and analyses carried out. Results indicate that an evaporative cooling tower is effective in cooling both the courtyard and the surrounding rooms. It was found that for the house in question the courtyard and living room maximum air temperatures were reduced by 9.96°C and 6.74°C, respectively. However, when the courtyard and the tower were ventilated by exhaust fans, the courtyard and indoor air temperatures were reduced by 13.5°C and 11.15°C, respectively. © 2003 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.