Evaluating Indoor and Outdoor Thermal Comfort Parameters Affecting Work Environment of Railway Pantry Car

Abstract

AbstractIndian Railways is one of the largest passenger transport networks in the “world” covering almost all parts of the subcontinent. Pantry car is an integral part of the railway, which provides food to the passengers during the journey. This study aims to evaluate the “indoor and outdoor thermal comfort parameters” and working conditions in the kitchen of the Indian “railway pantry car”. The field measurement was carried out during the summer season on six “Indian Railway Pantry Car Coaches (IRPCs)”. The “indoor and outdoor environmental parameters” were recorded during different cooking periods; “breakfast, lunch, snacks, and dinner” inside the pantry car. The consequence of this study revealed that the “indoor thermal comfort parameters” like; “wet-bulb temperature, mean radiant temperature, air temperature, relative humidity” were higher as compared to outdoor parameters except for air velocity. Most of the time, indoor parameters were higher during the lunch and snacks periods while lower at the breakfast period. Similarly, indoor Heat Index (HI) value was recorded higher than the outdoor. The indoor HI values range were found to be (40–58 °C), which indicated “danger to extreme danger” work condition. These outcomes will help to understand the “working environment of the railway pantry car kitchen”. Further, data measurements during winter and other seasons could be used to predict the thermal environment of the “pantry car”.KeywordsEnvironmental ergonomicsThermal comfortRailwayPantry car