Numerical investigations of wind and thermal environment in 2D scaled street canyons with various aspect ratios and solar wall heating

Abstract Optimizing urban ventilation is an effective way to improve urban air quality and thermal environment. For this purpose, under the validation of wind-tunnel experiments, flow regimes and micro thermal environment in typical reduced-canyon models with aspect ratios (AR) of 1.1, 2.4, 4 and 5.67 were investigated by CFD simulations using periodic boundary condition. ANSYS Fluent 15.0 with a solar ray tracing model and radiation model was performed to numerically study turbulence characteristics with wind-driven force and solar-heating conditions. Results revealed that, with wind-driven condition, a clockwise vortex existed in normal and deep street canyon (AR = 1.1 and 2.4) while two counter-rotating vortices appeared in extremely deep canyon (AR = 4 and 5.67). Moreover, different turbulence structures and air temperature distribution existed in canyons with different solar-heating conditions. When the leeward wall or ground was heated, the pedestrian-level velocity increased and street ventilation was strengthened compared to wind-driven condition for all AR values. Particularly, the single main vortex was strengthened (AR = 1.1 and 2.4), and the two-vortex structure in extremely deep canyons (AR = 4 and 5.67) changed to single-vortex structure. When the windward wall was heated, the clockwise main vortex at AR = 1.1 and 2.4 was deformed, and a new sub vortex gradually appeared near street bottom. Furthermore, at AR = 4 and 5.67, windward solar heating destroyed the two-vortex structure and slightly improved pollutant dilution capacity. This work implied that extremely deep street design with weak pedestrian-level ventilation should be avoided. It also provides a meaningful reference for urban planning.