Global AIR Movements

 Before one can understand the various wind

patterns affecting the Philippines, a broader
knowledge of what causes global air circulation
is necessary. All these would be vital in
utilizing air-movement close to the ground and
in the passive cooling of architectural
structures in the hot humid tropics.
 WIND

 the perceptible natural movement of the air,

especially in the form of a current of air blowing
from a particular direction.
 TYPES OF WIND
There are four types of winds.
 1. Synoptic winds, Roughly horizontal movement of air
caused uneven heating of the earth's surface.
 2. Gradient winds, winds for which coriolis acceleration and
the centripetal acceleration exactly balance the horizontal
pressure force.
 3. Prevailing winds are winds that below from a single
general direction over a particular point on the Earth's
surface.
 4. Geotrophic wind: are horizontal winds in the upper
atmosphere that moves parallel to isobars. Results from a
balance between pressure gradient and coriolis force.
 What is TROPICS ?
 The tropics is a region of the Earth surrounding the
Equator. It is limited in latitude by the Tropic of Cancer in
the northern hemisphere at 23° 26′ 16″ (or 23.4378°) N
and the Tropic of Capricorn in the southern hemisphere at
23° 26′ 16″ (or 23.4378°) S; these latitudes correspond to
the axial tilt of the Earth. The tropics are also referred to as
the tropical zone and the torrid zone (see geographical
zone). The tropics include all the areas on the Earth where
the Sun reaches a subsolar point, a point directly overhead
at least once during the solar year.
 The tropics are distinguished from the other climatic and
biomatic regions of Earth, the middle latitudes and the polar
regions on either side of the equatorial zone.
SUN
As the air of the sun hit the earth’s surface, the equator receives
more radiation than would the polar regions.This necessitates the
removal of the excess heat of the equatorial region towards the
cooler polar region.
Otherwise this
imbalance can cause
the further warming up
of the equatorial
regionsand the cooling
of the latter.The
phenomena of wind
system work to remove
the heat by moving the
equatorial air upwards in
its journey towards the
poles.Thereafter the
cycle is completed when
the cold air moves
towards the equator very
close to the earth’s
surface.
The rotation of the earth deflects the air from its direct paths.This
Phenomenonis called the Coriolis Force.
The

With the north pole as point of reference it will be observed that the rotation
of the earth is counter clockwise.Thus the motion of the wind is modified to
the right of its intended path if in the northern hemispehre, and to the left,
if moving in the southern hemisphere
 General Circulation of Winds
With the north pole as
point of reference it will be
observed that the rotation
of the earth is counter
clockwise.Thus the motion
of the wind is modified to
the right of its intended
path if in the northern
hemisphere, and to the
left,
if moving in the southern
hemisphere.The
continental land mass
makes further complicates
the air movement as it
gives frictional resistance
to the wind.
 ITCZ
ITCZ
The Intertropical Convergence
Zone or ITCZ Brings
Convectional Precipitation

Convection
movement in a gas or liquid in
which the warmer parts move
up and the colder parts move
down; also : the transfer of heat
by this movement
Wind Flows Due to Heat
Exchange

Air has the ability to transport temperature.

One characteristic of air is that its temperature changes faster
than ground temperature.

Two types of Breezes:

SEA BREEZE
LAND BREEZE
Sea Breezes

In coastal Region changes in directions of breezes are very

discernable. As then daytime heating begins,The land
warms more rapidly than the water. Upward expansion of
the air column over land will cause a seaward movement of
air loft, a wind from the sea directed toward land develops.
This land bound wind is called the SEA BREEZE. It is
strongest in the afternoon when differentiated heating of the
land and sea is greatest. It may penetrate 80 kilometers
inland
Land Breeze

At night the land cools faster than the water, the

resulting movement of air is from land to sea at the
surface and from sea to land aloft.This is known as
the LAND BREEZE.
Wind flow of Breezes
Wind Strategies of Climate
Control

Ventilation
Thermal Mass
Evaporative space cooling
Other Climatic elements
VENTILATION
Whole house (exhaust) fans provide up to 20 air
changes per hour and like continuous cross
ventilation,maintain indoor temperatures close to
the outdoors.As long as outdoor conditions are
within the comfort zone,”air-exchange ventilation”
Maintain indoor comfort.”Body ventilation” is best
provided by ceiling (paddle) fans.They are
effective up to 70% relative humidity and 85%F
ET(Effective Temperature) with a maximum air
speed of fps (Foot,Pound,Sec).
(Effective Temperature) the temperature of an object calculated from the radiation it emits,
assuming black-body behaviour.
THERMAL MASS
A very massive building envelope can maintain
indoor comfort if outdoor air temperature does not
exceed the thermal mass limit on the chart
(roughly equal to 890 F ET) This requires that
(1)the envelope is shaded or reflective enough
that its average daily outside surface temperature
is no higher than the daily mena air
temperature(2)the envelope is massive enough to
have average daily temperature fluctuations and
(3) there is no daytime ventilation of the indoors.
Nightime ventilation extends the upper limit by
cooling the envelope from both sides.
EVAPORATIVE SPACE
COOLING
An Intake ventilation air is evaporatively cooled by
drawing it through wetted mats or filters. The
technique I suited to arid and semiarid regions
and requires a fan powered ventilation
system.The limits are 71.50 F wet-bulb
temperature and in excess of 1050 F dry bulb
which is a conservative upper bound.
Other Climatic Elements
Wind speed and direction are important for the
site analysis and for orienting the building for
shelter from winter winds and to capture cooling
breezes.Solar radiation data(irradiation or
insolation)) is necessary for solar heating and
daylighting design .Insolation measured in
BTU/sqft/day or per hour,is a function of
latitude,sky conditions, and angle of incidence to
the receiving surface.Ground temperature at
various depth can be estimated from well water
temperature.
Site Analysis