Experimental Investigation on the Thermal Comfort of the Frail People in a Sitting Posture Under Transient and Non-Uniform Thermal Environments

Abstract

Under transient and non-uniform conditions, providing thermal comfort to frail people has become an important research topic. This experimental study aims to analyze the thermal comfort of frail people using a clothed manikin. Thermal sensation and dynamic thermal sensation in a non-uniform thermal environment are also analyzed. During the tests, the air temperature increased from 18°C to 30°C in a controlled test chamber; skin temperatures, core temperatures, and thermal responses were then collected every 30 seconds. The analysis showed a significant difference in terms of thermal sensation and comfort between males and females over time, while there was no significant difference for the dynamic thermal sensation under test conditions. The results also confirmed that the sensation neutral temperature occurs at around 27°C.