Thermal Comfort Conditions Research Articles

Thermal comfort conditions in Brazil: A discriminant analysis through the ASHRAE Global Thermal Comfort Database II

The Predicted Mean Vote (PMV) created by Fanger in the 70's is the most common model for estimating the thermal sensation in a group of individuals. The PMV contains some discrepancies related to the thermal reality of the environments where it is applied; thus, several researchers have developed alternative models over the past years in order to reduce these differences. This research aimed at analyzing thermal comfort conditions in Brazil by applying the PMV model and alternative models through a statistical discriminant analysis. By using the ASHRAE Global Thermal Comfort Database II, the environmental and personal variables of thermal comfort were applied in order to calculate the responses of each model and thus compare them to the responses of thermal sensation reported by people in four Brazilian cities: Brasília, Recife, Maceió and Florianópolis. The models used in this research were selected by applying the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) method. A discriminant analysis was performed in order to classify people according to their thermal sensation in different groups, through the development of discriminant functions; this procedure allowed a better visualization of these groups. With the results, the discrimination of individuals was verified according to their thermal sensations, where the models were right to classify individuals into groups with 96.1% for Brasília and Recife; 99.1% for Florianópolis and 99.8% for Maceió, thus showing the effectiveness of the models.

Energy Flexibility Comparison of Different Control Strategies for Zones with Radiant Floor Systems

Radiant floor systems offer significant potential for studying and developing energy flexibility strategies for buildings and their interaction with smart grids. Efficient design and operation of such systems require several critical decisions on design and control variables to maintain comfortable thermal conditions in the space and floor surface temperatures within the recommended range. This study presents a comparison of different control strategies to activate energy flexibility for zones with radiant floor heating systems. The focus of this study is on the zones with radiant floor systems for which the hydronic pipes are located deep in the concrete and therefore, there is a significant thermal lag. A perimeter zone test room equipped with a hydronic radiant floor system in an environmental chamber is used as to validate the modelling methodology. Considering a typical cloudy and cold winter day, three different control strategies for radiant heating were studied based on controlling the zone air temperature, floor surface temperature, and the operative temperature. Then considering morning and evening peak demand periods, the downward and upward energy flexibility are quantified and compared with each other for the different control strategies. It is observed that for the same 2 °C increase or decrease in the setpoint, the control strategy based on the zone air temperature results in the higher flexibility for both downward and upward scenarios compared with the floor surface and operative temperature controls. The effect of increasing window to wall ratio (WWR) is also investigated. Then, also the effect of solar gains on a sunny day on energy flexibility is studied. No significant difference in the upward and downward flexibility is observed. However, the hours of zero heating load are significantly increased due to the contribution from the solar gains.

Influence of building envelope characteristics on the effectiveness of PMV-based controls for schools located in Saudi Arabia

This paper summarizes the results of a comprehensive analysis to investigate the performance of both thermal comfort-based and temperature-based controls for schools in harsh hot climates of Saudi Arabia. The analysis considers the impact of building envelope characteristics including thermal insulation level of exterior walls and air leakage rate on the ability of both control options to maintain indoor thermal comfort while minimizing cooling energy consumption. The analysis utilizes a calibrated energy model for an existing Saudi school with monitored energy consumption data. The analysis results indicated that the thermal comfort-based control is able to maintain the predicted percentage of dissatisfied (PPD) value at 5% throughout the year for any combination of the exterior wall’s R-value and air infiltration rate unlike the case of the temperature-based controls that do not maintain acceptable indoor thermal comfort conditions. However, the thermal comfort-based controls consume more cooling energy than the temperature-based controls. The analysis also revealed that the difference between the annual cooling energy of the PMV-based control and the temperature-based controls increases almost linearly with the cooling degree days of the site where the school is located. The analysis results indicate that acceptable indoor thermal comfort levels can be achieved using temperature-based controls when optimal temperature set points are used.

Spatial modeling via geostatistics and infrared thermography of the skin temperature of dairy cows in a compost barn system in the Brazilian semiarid region

The aim of the study was i) to determine the spatial variability of the skin temperature of dairy cows in a compost system and ii) to evaluate the thermal comfort conditions of confined animals. Skin temperature (Tskin,°C) was recorded in three animals at 9:00 am (morning) and the measurement was repeated at 3:00 pm (afternoon) using a thermographic camera (model FLIR i60). Tskin data were submitted to descriptive statistics, geostatistics, and later elaborated kriging maps. When comparing the Tskin mean at 9:00 am and 3:00 pm, for animal 3, there was a reduction of 0.30°C in the afternoon shift, as a result of the individual's position concerning the forced ventilation system. The use of the geostatistics technique made it possible to verify the occurrence of a strong spatial dependence between the skin temperatures of cows raised inside a facility with a compost barn system, with the Gaussian model showing the best fit of the data (R2>0.90), for the morning and afternoon recording shifts. The characterization of the spatial variability of the Tskin of dairy cows allowed us to identify the comfort conditions of the animals housed in the compost barn systems.

Numerical evaluation of pedestrian-level wind and indoor thermal comfort of a historical monument, Muğla, Turkey

PurposeThe study aims to analyze both thermal and wind comfort conditions of a historical mosque's interior and outdoor spaces for the planning of further conservation decisions.Design/methodology/approachThe method is composed of two steps. First, thermal comfort analyses are conducted via Design-Builder Software. The predicted mean vote (PMV) and predicted percentage of dissatisfied indices were calculated and evaluated using the ASHRAE 55–2010 standard. Thermal comfort conditions are analyzed with the proposed three operations. Second, wind comfort analyses are conducted via computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software. Outdoor thermal comfort conditions are predicted by air temperature, mean radiant temperature, wind speed and relative humidity.FindingsThe (PMV) in the harim was calculated as −1.83 (cool) which corresponds to a predicted percentage of dissatisfaction (PPD) equal to 68.54%. Thermal comfort was provided by daytime and continuous operations; however, intermittent operations did not provide thermal comfort. The wind velocities around the mosque are well below the 5 m/s limit value for standing defined by NEN 8100 wind nuisance standard. Moreover, the limit value of 2.5 m/s for sitting was also satisfied with more than 80% of the semi-enclosed area around the entrance of the mosque. Last comer's hall remains in a slight cold stress range, the rest of the areas have no thermal stress.Originality/valueThis two-stage study creates a base for further improvements to provide comfort conditions in a historical building without interfering with its original features.

An Assessment of Orientation on Effective Natural Ventilation for Thermal Comfort in Primary School Classrooms in Enugu City, Nigeria

The current harsh climatic and high thermal conditions observed across the globe due to climate change is a challenge for indoor thermal comfort in buildings. In most developing nation, educational buildings where formal teaching and learning is conducted are designed to function without mechanical ventilation in an attempt to save energy costs hence relying solely on Natural ventilation. However, the effects of orientation on effective natural ventilation in educational buildings in the hot-humid tropical environments have not been adequately explored. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of orientation of the classroom buildings with respect to cardinal and wind directions on effective natural ventilation desired for thermal comfort in buildings of public primary schools in the city of Enugu, Nigeria. It adopted a combination of experimental and descriptive survey research design. Instruments for data collection were two thermo-anemometer data logging device (AZ 9871) for determining both indoor and outdoor temperatures, wind velocities and relative humidity of classrooms of selected 60 public primary school building in the metropolis based on stratified sampling technique. Data analysis was done using linear regression analysis, the global coefficient of ventilation and building orientation standards. The research results showed that there was a correlation between classroom building orientations and effective natural ventilation coefficient and that the mean natural ventilation efficiency of 80% above the 60% global ventilation efficiency standard was achieved. In addition, orientation of classroom buildings in terms of inlet window planes to the dominant wind direction had positive significant effect on natural ventilation efficiency, invariably influencing the thermal comfort conditions of the investigated classrooms. The research concludes that adequate attention should be given to the orientation in classroom buildings especially in the hot humid tropical environments by architects and building designers to ensure thermal comfort is achieved for effective teaching and learning.
 Keywords: Building orientation, Natural ventilation, Tropical environment, Classroom buildings, Thermal comfort

Thermodynamic and thermal comfort performance evaluation of two geothermal high-temperature cooling systems in the mediterranean climate

The European Commission aims to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions of the European Union's building stock by 60% by 2030 compared with 1990. Meanwhile, the global demand for cooling is projected to grow 3% yearly between 2020 and 2050. High-temperature cooling systems provide cooling with lower exergy use than conventional cooling systems and enable the integration of renewable energy sources, and can play a crucial role in meeting the growing cooling demand with less energy use. The aim of this study is to analyse and critically evaluate two high-temperature cooling systems in terms of their energy and exergy use in a case study. We also consider thermal comfort performance, CO2 emissions, and sensitivity to changing operating conditions. The two systems considered are a mechanical ventilation system with heat recovery combined with geothermal cooling (GeoMVHR) and a radiant cooling system with ceiling panels connected to the same geothermal cooling (GeoRadiant) system. The study is conducted using building energy models of a typical office building belonging to a three-building school complex located in Sant Cugat near Barcelona, Spain. IDA ICE 4.8 simulation software was used for the simulations. The results show that the two different installations can produce near-identical thermal comfort conditions for the occupants. The GeoRadiant system achieves this result with 72% lower electricity use and 60% less exergy destruction than the GeoMVHR system. Due to the higher electricity use, the CO2 emissions caused by the GeoMVHR system are 3.5 times the emissions caused by the GeoRadiant system.

The Impact of Building Orientation and Window-to-Wall Ratio on the Performance of Electrochromic Glazing in Hot Arid Climates: A Parametric Assessment

The significant increase in construction industry demand with its negative effects on energy consumption is particularly evident in areas with severe climatic factors. Here, the designers aim at providing comfort with the least amount of energy, and consequently have resorted to using different software tools to choose the optimal solution in the early phase of design to avoid time and cost losses. The use of smart innovative technologies such as electrochromic (EC) glazing may provide an important contribution in reducing consumptions while providing good thermal and visual comfort conditions. Nonetheless, as shown in the literature, such glazing should be used and managed carefully to avoid any adverse effects or low performance. Thus, a parametric simulation was carried out using Rhinoceros and Grasshopper to assess the advantages in terms of energy use resulting from use of EC glazing in residential buildings as a function of façade orientation and window-to-wall ratio (WWR) with reference to the city of Biskra, located in the northeastern region of Algeria. Eight main orientations and ten WWR scenarios were investigated in order to evaluate the benefit of using this technology in the selected climatic region. The research results proved the benefit of using EC glazing in all orientations, with energy savings ranging from 35.88% in the northern façade to 60.47% in the southwestern façade.

Assessment of thermal comfort in a hot and humid indoor built environment of a kitchen at a university canteen.

The hot and humid environment inside the kitchen is a cumulative sign of health impact that deteriorates the well-being and productivity of cooking workers, which could be a barrier to thermal comfort. As the cooking task progresses throughout the day, uncomfortable thermal conditions inside a kitchen work environment may diminish the work quality of the kitchen workers. The objectives of the study were to evaluate the measured environmental factors of thermal comfort during various cooking periods [morning, day, evening, night] and examine the occupant's perception votes followed by further investigating the worker's thermal comfort conditions using PMV, PPD, SET, WBGT, and TSI indices. The study was carried out inside the kitchen of the university canteen at IIT Guwahati, India. The objective and subjective measurements were accomplished during the summer season, while CBE thermal comfort software was employed for calculating the thermal comfort indices like PMV, PPD, and SET. The results of this study revealed that during entire cooking time, the recorded environmental factors of thermal comfort were found outside the recommended limits as per ASHRAE-55 standard, which indicates very hot prevalent conditions. Also, cook's perception vote (TSV, TCV) for the existing environment did not follow the central three categories of votes (+1, 0, -1), even the cooking workers were also not satisfied with the prevailing environmental conditions, as 88% subjects responded dissatisfaction with the thermal environment. While, estimated values of thermal comfort indices (PMV, PPD, and SET) designated morning time cooking period slightly comfortable than the other cooking periods, but still not accordance with the ASHRAE-2017 standard. The WBGT index designated day cooking period as hazardous, with rest of cooking periods under severe risk level. In contrast, the TSI index indicated entire cooking periods under "slightly warm" thermal sensation. The assessment of this study showed that the existing kitchen environment of the university canteen is not conducive for workers. Improper ventilation design may cause the overheating inside the kitchen, which may increase the dissatisfaction rate of the employed workers and also affects the energy savings in the kitchen environment, which helps maintain thermal comfort. Further studies are required to improve the thermal comfort of the kitchen occupants by providing proper design interventions based on heating and cooling air ventilation systems.

Effects of street orientation and tree species thermal comfort within urban canyons in a hot, dry climate

Urban valleys as a primary element of the urban environment have played an undeniable role in the intensification of urban heat islands as climate change has increased in the past century. However, appropriate solutions can help improve outdoor thermal comfort (OTC) in these areas. In the present study, parameters related to thermal comfort outdoors such as air temperature (Ta), wind speed (Ws), sky view factor (SVF), mean radiant temperature (MRT) and physiological equivalent temperature (PET) in an urban street were analyzed using ENVI-met simulation. Furthermore, the influence of tree species and street orientation in the study area was also examined to improve thermal comfort conditions. Similarly, with field measurements on site, a questionnaire was used to determine the OTC range of visitors to the urban valley. The study also integrates with ENVI-met microclimatic modeling to improve thermal comfort in the urban street canyon, which was used to simulate the current situation and validated with field measurements, showing a good correlation. The results have revealed that, although SVF has been extensively used in previous studies, it is not an exact indicator to determine the amount of radiation and OTC conditions. The simulation study expressed that orientations' effect on thermal comfort is less prominent than tree cover. However, significant changes in orientation have a remarkable effect on improving OTC in the urban valley.

Energy and performance analysis of solar solid desiccant cooling systems for energy efficient buildings in tropical regions

Due to Malaysia's high ambient humidity, the majority of buildings suffer from over-cooling and high-energy consumption of conventional cooling systems. This study investigated the feasibility of solar desiccant cooling systems as alternatives to conventional cooling systems for energy-efficient buildings in Malaysia. The performance of a fan coil unit (FCU) and three solar desiccant cooling systems for use in a seminar room with a high latent load has been compared and evaluated. The FCU performance was evaluated using an energy audit, while desiccant cooling systems were simulated using TRNSYS and validated by experimental measurements. The energy audit results showed that FCU could not provide thermal comfort conditions since the room's relative humidity (77.2%) was more than 50%, while the greatest energy usage (37%) was consumed for the dehumidification process. The simulation outcomes demonstrated that the solar hybrid desiccant cooling system with 17.3% energy-saving potential was feasible for buildings with a high latent load. The two-stage solar desiccant cooling system in ventilation and recirculation modes provided 27.9% and 33.9% energy saving, while the room temperature and relative humidity could be brought closer to 25.5 °C-25 °C and 61%-66% respectively. It was found that the solar hybrid desiccant cooling system with COP and the solar fraction of 0.84 and 0.615, respectively, was able to reduce 256.4 kg CO2 emissions per month.

Smart Wireless Climate Sensor Node for Indoor Comfort Quality Monitoring Application

The indoor environment climate should be controlled by continuously maintaining the temperature and relative humidity to achieve thermal comfort. A monitoring system of both parameters is the first step to improving indoor comfort quality. This paper presents a smart wireless climate sensor node for indoor temperature and humidity monitoring with a powering strategy and design approach for autonomous operation. The data logging results are sent to the cloud using Internet of Things protocol for thermal comfort monitoring and analysis. The monitoring and analysis results are useful to monitor and control the indoor thermal comfort condition for room occupants. A sensor node was designed that includes a low-power mode and compact size features. It consists of a built-in AVR-based microcontroller, a temperature and humidity sensor, and a wireless module with a supercapacitor as the power storage. A low-power algorithm and Internet of Things system were implemented to reduce the total energy consumption as low as possible during operation while improving the thermal comfort quality. This developed sensor node has a small error for temperature, and relative humidity sensed values resulting from calibration. At the same time, it also consumes low power for one cycle of data acquisition. The device was integrated with an Internet of Things monitoring system to monitor indoor thermal comfort in the field experiment. The experiment results showed that the indoor temperature and relative humidity were measured and recorded in the range of 25–30 °C and 30–40%, respectively. This prototype is a preliminary design to achieve an autonomous sensor node with a low-power energy consumption goal. Thus, with this feature, the developed sensor node has potential to couple with a micro energy harvester module toward a fully autonomous active node in further development.

Effect of outdoor thermal comfort condition on visit of tourists in historical urban plazas of Sevilla and Madrid.

The tourism plays a significant role in economics and development of any country through revenue generation from multiple sources. Spain has been tourist place and host million foreign tourist. The tourism is highly depended on climate and thermal comfortness of the visiting place. This present research aimed to analyze the outdoor thermal comfort conditions in microclimates of the urban ancient plazas of the two important cities of Spain, namely Sevilla and Madrid on a hot humid stress day of the year. The microclimatic measurement, questionnaire survey, and simulation results were examined to evaluate the thermal comfort condition of six different urban plazas in Sevilla and Madrid to distinguish the supreme time to visit each ancient site. The results have suggested that the outdoor thermal comfort range for the tourist in the historical plazas of Sevilla and Madrid varies from 28.42 to 30.87 °C and 24.5 to 29.82 °C in the hot summer. Despite the high heat stress condition, the result of questionnaires survey shows that about 38.11% and 28.09% of tourists in Sevilla and Madrid, respectively, were satisfied with the thermal conditions. As witnessed from the result of the Envi-met simulation, Plaza de Santa Ana of Madrid and Plaza Nueva of Sevilla is the best place for visitors in the early morning hours. Additionally, during the peak hours, the thermal comfort of Alameda de Hercules of Sevilla and Plaza de Santa Ana of Madrid is the most suitable historical places for visitors, whereas in the evening hours, Plaza Nueva of Sevilla and Plaza de Mayor of Madrid with wider semi-open spaces and relatively suitable vegetation bring more favorable conditions for visitors. The comparison of the simulation result with the questionnaire reveals that the urban plazas with relatively high thermal stresses have a higher rate of thermal dissatisfaction.

ANALYSIS OF THE INFLUENCE OF THE INTERNAL HEAT CAPACITY OF A PUBLIC BUILDING ON THE THERMAL COMFORT PARAMETERS OF THE PREMISES DURING THE OPERATION OF THE HEATING SYSTEM IN ALTERNATING MODE

In the climatic conditions of Ukraine, which are characterised by a long heating period, considerable energy requirements for heating lead to an increase in energy efficiency requirements. A substantial reduction in the energy consumption of buildings while ensuring comfort conditions will be facilitated by the inclusion of a model of human thermal comfort in the complex “heat source – fencing” system. The purpose of this study was to find the factors affecting the internal heat capacity and, accordingly, the thermal inertia of the building and further take these factors into account upon assessing the thermal condition and parameters of thermal comfort of building rooms. The object of this study was the educational and administrative building of the National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine. Many studies were carried out, namely full-scale measurements of heat flows and temperatures on the surfaces of samples of the building’s wall structure were carried out in a special climate complex that allows artificially creating external and internal thermal conditions of premises. It was found that the insulation of the structure with a layer of expanded polystyrene PSB-15, 100 mm thick, reduces heat losses through the wall panel by almost half. An algorithm for controlling the heat release process was developed, considering the internal heat capacity of the building. Compared to the “linear” dependence, this allows more accurately adjusting the schedule of heat carrier release to the heating system of a public building during the introduction of the alternating mode of its operation. The temperature deviation range is reduced by 4–6 °C, which allowed saving up to 10-12% of the consumed heat energy for the heating needs of the research object, provided that the normalised values of the internal temperature of the premises are maintained. Intermittent operation of the heating system of public buildings, the expediency of which is justified in this study, can be recommended for implementation in the structures of higher educational institutions of Ukraine.

Understanding thermal comfort in vernacular dwellings in Alentejo, Portugal: A mixed-methods adaptive comfort approach

While a significant body of literature has been published on thermal comfort in dwellings, the particular challenge presented by vernacular dwellings in striking a balance between improving thermal comfort, energy savings, and heritage conservation has not been adequately investigated. The occupants’ way of life, embodying regional cultural practices and traditional adaptive behaviours, and their unique thermal expectations, impact thermal comfort perception but are largely ignored in current comfort standards. This paper addresses this gap by evaluating the thermal comfort of vernacular dwellings in Alentejo, Portugal, based on the Portuguese context-adapted thermal comfort model (PTC). The work also attempts to assess the suitability of thermal comfort adaptive and steady-state methods by undertaking a comparative analysis with the PTC model results. Key findings include the broad summer thermal acceptability in the vernacular dwellings, exceeding that of regular dwellings and thermal comfort standards, and the significant winter underheating, which highlights that priority should be given to improving cold-related risks. The PTC model was found to accurately represent summer thermal comfort conditions in naturally-conditioned vernacular dwellings in Alentejo, albeit underestimating underheated hours and requiring nighttime and boundaries adjustments to improve its accuracy. The methods detailed under EN 16798 and REH (Regulamento dos Edifícios de Habitação/Regulation of Energy Performance of Residential Buildings) are deemed unfit to evaluate thermal comfort in vernacular dwellings, especially in summer.

Performance Analysis of a Geothermal Radiant Cooling System Supported by Dehumidification

Space cooling demand is increasing globally due to climate change. Cooling has also been linked to all 17 sustainable development goals of the United Nations. Adequate cooling improves productivity and thermal comfort and can also prevent health risks. Meanwhile, policy initiatives such as the European Union’s Green Deal require participants to cut greenhouse gas emissions and reduce energy use. Therefore, novel cooling systems that are capable of efficiently producing high levels of thermal comfort are needed. Radiant cooling systems provide a design capable of fulfilling these goals, but their application in hot and humid climates is limited due to the risk of condensation. In this study, we compare the performances of radiant cooling systems with and without dehumidification. The studied systems are supplied by geothermal energy. The study is conducted using building energy models of a small office building belonging to a three-building school complex located in Sant Cugat near Barcelona in Spain. The studied location has a Mediterranean climate. The simulations are conducted using IDA Indoor Climate and Energy 4.8 simulation software. The results show that the radiant cooling system with dehumidification (RCD) produces considerably improved thermal comfort conditions, with maximum predicted mean vote (PMV) reached during the cooling season being 0.4 (neutral) and the maximum PMV reached by the radiant cooling system without dehumidification (RC) being 1.2 (slightly warm). However, the improved thermal comfort comes at the cost of reduced energy and exergy efficiency. The RCD system uses 2.2 times as much energy and 5.3 times as much exergy as the RC system. A sensitivity analysis is also conducted to assess the influence of selected input parameters on the simulation output. The results suggest that maximising dehumidification temperature and minimising ventilation flow rate can improve the energy and exergy efficiency of the RCD system while having a minor effect on thermal comfort.

Quantification of Outdoor Thermal Comfort Levels under Sea Breeze in the Historical City Fabric: The Case of Algiers Casbah

Thermal comfort in cities is an influential factor for citizens’ wellbeing and life quality. Urban microclimate studies have gained popularity following increasing urbanization trends and global climate change in recent years. Urban fabric and morphology in traditional cities represent a unique pattern both spatially and climatically. However, few studies have investigated traditional cities’ urban thermal comfort conditions. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the thermal comfort in different subspaces of Algiers Casbah’s historic urban fabric, which falls in the hot Mediterranean climate (Csa). This research evaluated the human thermal sensation by applying the physiological equivalent temperature (PET) index. The methodology used was a mixed approach, including field measurements, calculations, and a survey questionnaire. The results indicate the presence of a high-stress level during the measurement periods, and notable differences between the subspaces in January (ΔPETMax.Jan = 3.7 °C) and August (ΔPETMax.Aug = 2.2 °C). The highest discomfort was recorded in spaces with collapsed buildings, especially during the hot hours of the day. The findings also highlight a strong impact of the sky view factor on the mean radiant temperature (Tmrt) and the physiological equivalent temperature (PET). The study discusses recommendations and ways to improve the design of outdoor spaces and relieve heat stress in the streets of traditional cities. Finally, this work helps urban managers and heritage conservators in urban rehabilitation policies concerning outdoor microclimate improvement.

Thermal comfort conditions at microclimate scale and surface urban heat island in a tropical city: A study on João Pessoa city, Brazil.

Surface urban heat islands (SUHIs) are one of the most studied phenomena in urban climates because they generate problems for the well-being of the urban population. This study analyzed the thermal comfort conditions at microclimate scale and SUHI for João Pessoa city, Brazil. Micrometeorological data (temperature and air humidity data) collected at 10 stations in 2011 and 2018 were used to calculate Thom's discomfort index (TDI) for João Pessoa city. Satellite images from Landsat 5/TM for 1991, 2006, and 2010 and Landsat 8/OLI for 2018 were used for land use and land cover classification and to identify SUHI. The obtained results highlighted that the SUHI area in João Pessoa city was 26 km2 and that almost half of the heat island area was concentrated in the Geisel, Aeroclube, Valentina, Distrito Industrial, Cristo Redentor, and Mangabeira neighborhoods. Regarding the micrometeorological data, higher values were obtained for 2018 in the dry periods (summer) and during the day. Based on the results, a considerable increase in discomfort during the daytime was observed in urbanized areas of the city from 2010 - 2018 due to the increase in the average temperature in João Pessoa between 1991 and 2018.

Theoretical and experimental study of the multistage dynamic dehumidifier for enhanced thermal comfort conditions in a building

In the present study, a mathematical model is constructed to simulate the heat and mass transfer process in a counterflow multistage reciprocating dehumidifier unit. Four packings are positioned at different positions where a camshaft mechanism controls their linear motion. Packings dip inside the Calcium Chloride desiccant instead of the conventional spray technique, improving the wettability and dehumidification effect. Theoretical and experimental results are compared. System performance is analyzed by varying the number of packing and performance parameters such as outlet temperature, specific humidity, moisture effectiveness, moisture removal rate, mass transfer coefficient and pressure change. Results indicated that the system gave maximum moisture effectiveness, moisture removal rate and mass transfer coefficient equal to 0.75, 2.21 g/s and 15.08 kg/m2−s. Stage-wise evaluation of the performance shows that there is a significant improvement in the dehumidification performance by the addition of multiple stages.

Bioclimatic zoning for quails in the dry period in the state of Paraíba, Brazil

Based on the temperature and humidity index, for quails from the 3rd to the 5th week of life, in the dry period in Paraíba state, Brazil, the objective was to carry out a bioclimatic zoning, identifying as regions suitable for the reproduction of quails and, when necessary, mitigating measures for greater animal comfort. The bioclimatic zoning was carried out for the mesoregions of the state, the climatic data used are from meteorological stations in the period from 1961 - 2015, from them maps were elaborated with the spatial distribution of the index, identifying as regions with ideal thermal comfort conditions for the animals. For quails in the third week, the Agreste mesoregion presents the best situation in the dry season, not requiring corrective measures to maintain the comfort of these animals. In the fourth week of life of the quails, the mesoregions that would provide THI values ​​within the ZCT in the dry period would be the Zona da Mata paraibana and Sertão, while the ZCT for quails in the fifth week of life, could be found throughout the state of Paraíba.