The computer-based human thermal model

Abstract

A computer model was developed that estimates the resistance to dry and evaporative heat transfer from fabric resistance data and fabric thickness data for five different clothing ensembles with the different total thermal insulation. Five different clothing ensembles with the different total thermal insulation were studied. In this study, a two-dimensional computer model was developed that estimates the resistance to of the insulation of the body were simulated with 16 sedentary subjects. In this model, the human geometry is described by 16 cylindrical elements representing the head, hands, arms, thigh and etc. Thermal and evaporative resistance of each sixteen body segments are calculated. Heat generated in the body by metabolism can be lost to the environment by conduction, convection, radiation, evaporation of the moisture from skin and through respiration. The preceding relationship can be used to determine the total thermal resistance and the total evaporative resistance for each segment. Evaporative heat loss from skin is a combination of a evaporation of sweat secreted due to thermoregulatory control mechanisms and the natural diffusion of water through the skin. The heat flows from body to environment through alternating clothing and air. The purpose of this paper is to develop a model for estimating total thermal insulation of clothing ensembles. Also latent and sensible heat transfer values for each body segment and whole body are found. Possible reasons for discrepancies between the observed data and predictions of the model are discussed. It seems that they are in agreement.