Human Thermal Sensation Research Articles

Human body area factors for radiation exchange analysis: standing and walking postures

Effective radiation area factors (f (eff)) and projected area factors (f (p)) of unclothed Caucasians' standing and walking postures used in estimating human radiation exchange with the surrounding environment were determined from a sample of adults in Canada. Several three-dimensional (3D) computer body models were created for standing and walking postures. Only small differences in f (eff) and f (p) values for standing posture were found between gender (male or female) and body type (normal- or over-weight). Differences between this study and previous studies were much larger: ≤0.173 in f (p) and ≤0.101 in f (eff). Directionless f (p) values for walking posture also had only minor differences between genders and positions in a stride. However, the differences of mean directional f (p) values of the positions dependent on azimuth angles were large enough, ≤0.072, to create important differences in modeled radiation receipt. Differences in f (eff) values were small: 0.02 between the normal-weight male and female models and up to 0.033 between positions in a stride. Variations of directional f (p) values depending on solar altitudes for walking posture were narrower than those for standing posture. When both standing and walking postures are considered, the mean f (eff) value, 0.836, of standing (0.826) and walking (0.846) could be used. However, f (p) values should be selected carefully because differences between directional and directionless f (p) values were large enough that they could influence the estimated level of human thermal sensation.

Evaluating thermal comfort conditions and health responses during an extremely hot summer in Athens

In summer 2007, in the city of Athens, Greece, extremely high air temperatures were recorded, inducing heat discomfort conditions in the urban environment. Four biometeorological indices were calculated in order to evaluate human thermal sensation and thermal comfort: Actual Sensation Vote (ASV), Thermal Sensation-Ginovi method (TS), Discomfort Index (DI) and Heat Load Index (HL). Data included measurements of ambient temperature, temperature of the surrounding ground surface, relative humidity, air pressure, wind velocity and solar radiation obtained from National Observatory of Athens (NOA) station. During this period the daily number of patients probably affected by heat in emergency department units of cardiac clinics of four public general hospitals in Athens was recorded. The results revealed high values of DI and HL indices, demonstrating severe heat stress conditions during the last ten day period of June and July, while the ASV tends to classify too many cases into the comfort zone compared to TS, DI and HL. The statistical analysis revealed a negative relationship between the number of heat affected patients and the estimated indices values.

Experimental study of human thermal sensation under hypobaric conditions in winter clothes

Hypobaric conditions, with pressures about 20–30% below that at sea level, are often experienced at mountain resorts and plateau areas. The diffusive transfer of water evaporation increases at hypobaric conditions whereas dry heat loss by convection decreases. In order to clarify the effects of barometric on human thermal comfort, experiments are conducted in a decompression chamber where the air parameters were controllable. During experiments, air temperature is set at a constant of 20, air velocity is controlled at <0.1 m/s, 0.2 m/s, 0.25 m/s, and 0.3 m/s by stages. The barometric condition is examined stepwise for 1atm, 0.85 atm and 0.75 atm of simulated hypobaric conditions, which is equivalent to altitude of 0 m, 1300 m, and 2300 m respectively. Ten males and ten females in winter clothes participate in the experiments. Thermal sensations are measured with ASHRAE seven-point rating scales and skin temperatures were tested at each altitude. The main results are as follows: when the altitude rises, (1) the mean thermal sensation drops; (2) people become more sensitive to draught and expect lower air movements; (3) no significant change of mean skin temperature has been found. The results of the present study indicate that hypobaric environment tends to make people feel cooler.

Comfort, perceived air quality, and work performance in a low-power task–ambient conditioning system

Zhang's thermal comfort model [Zhang H. Human thermal sensation and comfort in transient and non-uniform thermal environments, Ph.D. thesis, UC Berkeley; 2003. 415 pp.] predicts that the local comfort of feet, hands, and face predominates in determining a person's overall comfort in warm and cool conditions. We took advantage of this in designing a task–ambient conditioning (TAC) system that heats only the feet and hands, and cools only the hands and face, to provide comfort in a wide range of ambient environments. Per workstation, the TAC system uses less than 41 W for cooling and 59 W for heating. We tested the TAC system on 18 subjects in our environmental chamber, at temperatures representing a wide range of practical winter and summer conditions (18–30 °C). A total of 90 tests were done. We measured subjects' skin and core temperatures, obtained their subjective responses about thermal comfort, perceived air quality, and air movement preference. The subjects performed three different types of tasks to evaluate their productivity during the testing. The TAC system maintains good comfort levels across the entire temperature range tested. TAC did not significantly affect the task performance of the occupants compared to a neutral ambient condition. Whenever air motion was provided, perceived air quality was significantly improved, even if the air movement was re-circulated room air. In our tests, subjects found thermal environments acceptable even if they were judged slightly uncomfortable (−0.5). By reducing the amount of control normally needed in the overall building, the TAC system saves energy. Simulated annual heating and cooling energy savings with the TAC system are as much as 40%.

20717 人間の温熱的快適感の過渡応答とその予測方法(バイオエンジニアリングII,OS.7 バイオエンジニアリング)

Rrecent years, an air-conditioning system is introduced into various habitation space, such as a housing, office, a motor-car, and the control which takes into consideration not only a temperatures but the thermal comfort is made by various research and development. However, even though thermal comfort is maintained, human's thermal comfort and sensation has various state due to the exposure time in a cirtain thermal environment, psychological influence, and so on. In this paper, transient characteristics of human's theramal comfort and sensation is considered by conducting a subject experiment, and its prediction method for the transient response of human's thermal comfort and sensation is examined.

The effects of solar radiation on thermal comfort

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between simulated solar radiation and thermal comfort. Three studies investigated the effects of (1) the intensity of direct simulated solar radiation, (2) spectral content of simulated solar radiation and (3) glazing type on human thermal sensation responses. Eight male subjects were exposed in each of the three studies. In Study 1, subjects were exposed to four levels of simulated solar radiation: 0, 200, 400 and 600 Wm(-2). In Study 2, subjects were exposed to simulated solar radiation with four different spectral contents, each with a total intensity of 400 Wm(-2) on the subject. In Study 3, subjects were exposed through glass to radiation caused by 1,000 Wm(-2) of simulated solar radiation on the exterior surface of four different glazing types. The environment was otherwise thermally neutral where there was no direct radiation, predicted mean vote (PMV)=0+/-0.5, [International Standards Organisation (ISO) standard 7730]. Ratings of thermal sensation, comfort, stickiness and preference and measures of mean skin temperature (t(sk)) were taken. Increase in the total intensity of simulated solar radiation rather than the specific wavelength of the radiation is the critical factor affecting thermal comfort. Thermal sensation votes showed that there was a sensation scale increase of 1 scale unit for each increase of direct radiation of around 200 Wm(-2). The specific spectral content of the radiation has no direct effect on thermal sensation. The results contribute to models for determining the effects of solar radiation on thermal comfort in vehicles, buildings and outdoors.

Local evaluation of thermal comfort

Increasing demand for a comfortable cabin environment makes it necessary, as early as the construction phase, to estimate what effect different factors will have on the driver and passenger. Full-scale measurements and numerical simulations have been carried out in order to investigate how well computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and thermal manikins are able to predict the perceived thermal climate. The heat loss from real or virtual manikins interacts with the environment around the body, as well as thermal interaction with windows; ventilation and seat are influencing the manikins. When manikin heat loss is linked to human thermal sensations in new comfort zone diagrams, the local as well as total thermal situation can be clearly presented. Simulations of this type will enable engineers to make better decisions and early predictions in the design and construction process, improving the thermal comfort in the vehicle environment.

On the use of bioclimatic architecture principles in order to improve thermal comfort conditions in outdoor spaces

The present paper describes a process for designing and applying several techniques based on bioclimatic architecture criteria and on passive cooling and energy conservation principles in order to improve the thermal comfort conditions in an outdoor space location located in the Great Athens area. For that reason, the thermal comfort conditions in 12 different outdoor space points in the experimented location have been calculated using two different thermal comfort bioclimatic indices developed to be used for outdoor spaces. The used indices were the following: (a) “Comfa”, which is based on estimating the energy budget of a person in an outdoor environment and (b) “thermal sensation”, based on the satisfaction or dissatisfaction sensation under the prevailing climatic conditions of the outdoor spaces. Calculations were performed during the summer period and two different scenarios of the constructed space parameters have been considered. The first scenario consists of a conventionally constructed space, while the second one includes various architectural improvements according to the bioclimatic design principles. The two bioclimatic indicators were used for calculating the outdoor thermal comfort conditions in the above-mentioned outdoor space locations for both scenarios and the effect of the bioclimatic design architectural improvements on the human thermal comfort sensation was presented and analysed.

Thermodynamical analysis of human thermal comfort

Traditional methods of human thermal comfort analysis are based on the first law of thermodynamics. These methods use an energy balance of the human body to determine heat transfer between the body and its environment. By contrast, the second law of thermodynamics introduces the useful concept of exergy. It enables the determination of the exergy consumption within the human body dependent on human and environmental factors. Human body exergy consumption varies with the combination of environmental (room) conditions. This process is related to human thermal comfort in connection with temperature, heat, and mass transfer. In this paper a thermodynamic analysis of human heat and mass transfer based on the 2nd law of thermodynamics in presented. It is shown that the human body's exergy consumption in relation to selected human parameters exhibits a minimal value at certain combinations of environmental parameters. The expected thermal sensation also shows that there is a correlation between exergy consumption and thermal sensation. Thus, our analysis represents an improvement in human thermal modelling and gives more information about the environmental impact on expected human thermal sensation.

Thermodynamic analysis of human heat and mass transfer and their impact on thermal comfort

In this paper a thermodynamic analysis of human heat and mass transfer based on the 2nd law of thermodynamics in presented. For modelling purposes the two-node human thermal model was used. This model was improved in order to establish the exergy consumption within the human body as a consequence of heat and mass transfer and/or conversion. It is shown that the human body’s exergy consumption in relation to selected human parameters exhibit a minimal value at certain combinations of environmental parameters. The expected thermal sensation, determined by the PMV* value, shows that there is a correlation between exergy consumption and thermal sensation. Thus, our analysis represents an improvement in human thermal modelling and gives even more information about the environmental impact on expected human thermal sensation.

Evaluation and visualisation of perceived thermal conditions.

Investigations have been made on ways to evaluate and visualise the perceived thermal climate. Thermal interaction with windows, heating, ventilation and seating influence the occupant's thermal situation. When this information on the physical thermal climate is linked together with human thermal sensation in "comfort-zone diagrams", valuable knowledge about the thermal situation can be visualised. Thermal manikin measurements of local climate disturbances with two different thermal manikins are found to be well correlated with the thermal sensation experienced by panels of subjects exposed to the same conditions. Differences both in manikin shape and construction, as well as testing conditions and panel members, make limit lines differ at some points. Comfort diagrams can be defined by equivalent temperature (t(eq)) limit lines; however, a consequence of individual and experimental variations is that it is not an optimal solution to have diagrams with absolute limit lines, rather a range of t(eq) values, forming new "comfort-zone diagrams". This improvement provides a more appropriate base for assessment of a complex local thermal climate, and opens up the possibility of a general profile that can be used with different manikins, possibly also different methods, in a variety of environments. However, more data from validation experiments with subjects and different methods will contribute to the development of a more general evaluation concept.

Comfort climate evaluation with thermal manikin methods and computer simulation models.

With increasing demand for acceptable environment in the modern workplace is it necessary, already in the construction phase, to estimate what effect different environmental factors have on the occupants. Thermal sensation is affected by many factors in the work place environment, especially thermal factors and effects from air movement caused by different ventilation principles. A series of full scale measurements as well as numerical calculations have been carried out in order to investigate whether Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) calculations and measurements with a thermal manikin are able to predict the perceived thermal climate. When human thermal sensation is linked together in measurements and calculations, the thermal situation in the work place environment is visualized. The results show relatively good agreement with the measurements made in the real environment. However, numerical and experimental methods need to be further developed. Evaluation methods of this type, will enable engineers to make better predictions and early decisions in the design and construction process. This also opens possibilities to use results from a number of full scale tests providing means to improve the comfort, health and productivity in working life.

Calculated and observed human thermal sensation in an extremely hot and dry climate

Thermal perception of 36 students has been calculated and observed in a case study on the 10th and 11th of July 2000 at Kibbutz Yotvata under extremely hot and arid climatic conditions. Calculations of thermal sensations were done by energy balance models of Fanger [Thermal Comfort: Analysis and Applications in Environmental Engineering, McGraw-Hill, New York, 1972] and Gagge et al. [ASHRAE Trans. 92 (1986) 709]. Observed and calculated values differed considerably during the daytime under extremely hot conditions, whereas they corresponded well for warm night-time conditions. A temporal development of the differences lead to a theory, which explains the differences according to the factors “short-term thermal adaptation” and “thermal expectation”.

Indoor cooling/heating load analysis based on coupled simulation of convection, radiation and HVAC control

A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation for analyzing indoor cooling/heating load is presented in this study. It is coupled with a radiative heat transfer simulation and heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC) controlling system in a room. This new method feeds back the outputs of the HVAC system control to the input boundary conditions of the CFD, and this method includes a human model to evaluate the thermal environment. It would be used to analyze the heating/cooling loads of different HVAC systems under the condition of the same human thermal sensation (e.g. PMV, operative temperature, etc.) even though the temperature and air-velocity distribution in the room are different from each other. To examine the performance of the new method, a cooling load and a thermal environment within a semi-enclosed space, which opens into an atrium space, is analyzed under the steady-state conditions during the summer season. This method is able to analyze the indoor cooling load with changes of target thermal environments of a room and/or changing clothing conditions of occupants considering the temperature and air-velocity distribution in the room. In this paper, two types of HVAC system are compared; i.e. radiation-panel system and all-air cooling system. The radiation-panel cooling system is found to be more energy efficient for cooling the semi-enclosed space. Changes of the level of thermal environment reduce cooling load effectively in case of the all-air cooling system while the radiation-panel system does not reduce cooling load even though the targeted thermal condition is relaxed. Energy saving effect is expected by easing the clothing conditions of occupants. In this study, the reducing effect of cooling load is quantitatively evaluated with clothing conditions also.

Coupled simulation of convicton, radiation, and HVAC control for attaining a given PMV value

A new computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation for designing indoor climates is presented in this study. It is coupled with a radiative heat transfer simulation and heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC) control system in a room. This new method can feed back the outputs of the CFD to the input conditions for controlling the HVAC system, and includes a human model to evaluate the thermal environment. It can be used to analyze the conditions of the HVAC system (e.g. temperature of supply air, surface temperature of radiation panel, etc.) and the heating/cooling loads of different HVAC systems under the condition of the same human thermal sensation (e.g. PMV, operative temperature, etc.) To examine the performance of the new method, a thermal environment within a semi-enclosed space which opens into an atrium space is analyzed under steady-state conditions in the summer season. Using this method, the most energy efficient HVAC system can be chosen under the same PMV value. In this paper, two types of HVAC system are compared: one is a radiation-panel system and the other is an all-air cooling system. The radiation-panel cooling is found to be more energy efficient for cooling the semi-enclosed space in this study.

Effects of turbulent air on human thermal sensations in a warm isothermal environment.

Air movement can provide desirable cooling in "warm" conditions, but it can also cause discomfort. This study focuses on the effects of turbulent air movements on human thermal sensations through investigating the preferred air velocity within the temperature range of 26 degrees C and 30.5 degrees C at two relative humidity levels of 35% and 65%. Subjects in an environmental chamber were allowed to adjust air movement as they liked while answering a series of questions about their thermal comfort and draft sensation. The results show that operative temperature, turbulent intensity and relative humidity have significant effects on preferred velocities, and that there is a wide variation among subjects in their thermal comfort votes. Most subjects can achieve thermal comfort under the experimental conditions after adjusting the air velocity as they like, except at the relative high temperature of 30.5 degrees C. The results also indicate that turbulence may reduce draft risk in neutral-to-warm conditions. The annoying effect caused by the air pressure and its drying effect at higher velocities should not be ignored. A new model of Percentage Dissatisfied at Preferred Velocities (PDV) is presented to predict the percentage of feeling draft in warm isothermal conditions.

A new predictive thermal sensation index of human response

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the problem of determining a human thermal sensation index that can be used in feedback control of HVAC systems. We present a new approach based on fuzzy logic to estimate the thermal comfort level depending on the state of the following six variables: the air temperature, the mean radiant temperature, the relative humidity, the air velocity, the activity level of occupants and their clothing insulation. The new fuzzy thermal sensation index is calculated implicitly as the consequence of linguistic rules that describe human's comfort level as the result of the interaction of the environmental variables with the occupant's personal parameters. The fuzzy comfort model is deduced on the basis of learning Fanger's `Predicted Mean Vote' (PMV) equation. Unlike Fanger's PMV, the new fuzzy PMV calculation does not require an iterative solution and can be easily adjusted depending on the specific thermal sensation of users. These characteristics make it an attractive index for feedback control of HVAC systems. The simulation results show that the new fuzzy PMV is as accurate as Fanger's PMV.

Climatic controls of the cool human thermal sensation in a summertime onshore wind

Afternoon observations in summer comparing shoreline with inland atmospheric conditions were made during onshore winds at Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. The onshore wind came from a cool water surface. Mean monthly water temperatures near to shore were between 11 and 11.5 degrees C. The onshore wind brought lower air, ground surface radiant and sky radiant temperatures; lower humidity and greater wind speed. All of these combine to produce a cooler human environment at the shoreline than inland. The relative importance of climatic elements in producing the cooler environment was assessed using sensitivity analyses with eight different human thermal exchange models/indices. Air temperature and wind speed had the greatest effect, followed by ground surface radiant temperature, sky radiant temperature and humidity. Wind speed is the most practical element to consider when trying to maximize human comfort along the shoreline.

Influence of Geometry Thermal Radiation on Human Skin Temperature and Thermal Sensation

Influence of Geometry Thermal Radiation on Human Skin Temperature and Thermal Sensation

Responses of human skin temperature and thermal sensation to step change of air temperature

1. 1. The purpose of this paper is to clarify the non-linearity of the human physiological and psychological responses to step change of air temperature by impulse response analysis using Discrete Fourier Transformation. 2. 2. Experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of thermal transients on human responses. 3. 3. Experimental conditions were as follows: lowering air temperature from 30 to 20°C and raising air temperature from 20 to 30°C. 4. 4. The responses of local skin temperature on lowering air temperature from 30 to 20°C are not necessarily opposite to the responses found on raising air temperature from 20 to 30°C. 5. 5. From impulse response analysis using Discrete Fourier Transformation, skin temperature responses to the opposite air temperature change do not necessarily coincide with each other whenever the same temperature stimulus is occurred.