Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Numerical Projection on Occupant Thermal Comfort via Dynamic Responses to Human Thermoregulation

  • Published:
International Journal of Automotive Technology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

With the different physiological properties and thermal conditions, different body parts of passengers have inconsistent thermal sensations and thermal requirements in a highly non-uniform and transient vehicle cabin thermal environment. Determining the thermal comfort requirements for different body parts of a passenger is essential for effectively supplying warm air to the right human part especially for electric vehicles with energy-saving attributes. In this paper, a comprehensive numerical model that integrates human thermal regulation mechanism and dynamic environmental characteristics is established to calculate the thermal comfort for passengers via thermal responses to a dynamic environment. The numerical computation sets up such a model structure, firstly considering human thermal regulation functions into the thermal response to the in-cabin dynamic thermal distributions, then combining Berkeley thermal comfort model to identify the thermal comfort level at different body parts, that would implement total numerical simulations to get thermal comfort evaluation, independent of human subjective feedbacks. The model is validated by experiments with an acceptable error and implemented for a cabin heating case study. The models can effectively predict the thermal comfort and thermal requirements of various body parts in a dynamic environment with human thermoregulation, as an important tool for designing a non-uniform environment.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

c :

tissue heat capacity, J/kg/K

c b1 :

heat capacity of blood, J/kg/K

C overall :

overall thermal comfort, dimensionless

Cs :

vasodilation, W/K

Dl :

vasoconstriction, W/K

k :

tissue conductivity, W/m/K

q m :

metabolic heat generation, W/m3

q m,0 :

basal metabolic rate, W·m3

r :

radius, m

Sh :

shivering, W

Sw :

sweating, g/min

S overall :

overall thermal sensation, dimensionless

t :

time, s

T bl,a :

arterial blood temperature on right side, °C

TC i :

local thermal comfort, dimensionless

th :

thickness, mm

T hy :

core temperature, °C

∆T hy :

changing of core temperature, °C

TS i :

local thermal sensation, dimensionless

T sk :

skin temperature, °C

∆T skin :

changing of skin temperature, °C

dT skin/dt :

rate of mean skin temperature, °C/s

T t :

tissue temperature, °C

w bl :

blood perfusion rate, 1/s/m3

ω :

geometry factor, dimensionless

ρ :

tissue density, kg/m3

ρ bl :

blood density, kg/m3

References

  • Al-Othmani, M., Ghaddar, N. and Ghali, K. (2008). A multi-segmented human bioheat model for transient and asymmetric radiative environments. Int. J. Heat and Mass Transfer 51, 23–24, 5522–5533.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen, J., Zheng, X. and Lan, F. (2019). An analysis on thermal comfort in passenger compartment based on human thermal regulation model. Automotive Engineering, 41, 6, 723–730.

    Google Scholar 

  • Davoodi, F., Hassanzadeh, FL, Zolfaghari, S. A., Havenith, G. and Maerefat, M. (2018). A new individualized thermoregulatory bio-heat model for evaluating the effects of personal characteristics on human body thermal response. Building And Environment, 136, 62–76.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ding, X. J. (2009). An introduction to the effect of garment thermal resistance on human thermal comfort. Construction Conserves Energy 37, 216, 27–29.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fiala, D., Lomas, K. J. and Stohrer, M. (1999). A computer model of human thermoregulation for a wide range of environmental conditions: The passive system. J. Applied Physiology, 87, 1957–1972.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fiala, D., Lomas, K. J. and Stohrer, M. (2001). Computer prediction of human thermoregulatory and temperature responses to a wide range of environmental conditions. Int. J. Biometeorology 45, 3, 143–159.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ghali, K., Ghaddar, N. and Salloum, M. (2008). Effect of stove asymmetric radiation field on thermal comfort using a multisegmented bioheat model. Building and Environment 43, 7, 1241–1249.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Guo, H., Zha, Q., Cai, H. and He, D. (2017). An evaluation method of thermal comfort of the in-vehicle cab based on the PMV model and FCM algorithm. J. Zhejiang University of Technology 45, 5, 556–561.

    Google Scholar 

  • Han, T. and Chen, K. (2009). Assessment of various environmental thermal loads on passenger compartment soak and cool-down analyses. SAE Paper No. 2009-01-1148.

  • Han, T., Chen, K., Khalighi, B., Curran, A., Pryor, J. and Hepokoski, M. (2010). Assessment of various environmental thermal loads on passenger thermal comfort. SAE Paper No. 2010-01-1205.

  • Han, T. and Huang, L. (2004). A model for relating a thermal comfort scale to EHT comfort index. SAE Paper No. 2004-01-0919.

  • Khatoon, S. and Kim, M. (2017). Human thermal comfort and heat removal efficiency for ventilation variants in passenger cars. Energies 10, 11, 1710.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lee, D. and Lee, H. (2019). Numerical study of preventilation effects on cabin temperature using solar sunroof. Int. J. Automotive Technology 20, 6, 1173–1181.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li, Y., De, L. R. J. and Gong, Y. (2018). The smart thermostat of HVAC systems based on PMV-PPD model for energy efficiency and demand response. 2nd IEEE Conf. Energy Internet and Energy System Integration (EI2), Beijing, China.

  • Lü, H. B., Chen, B., Gao, T. Y., Li, Y., Si, J. and Chen, J. (2020). Analysis on thermal comfort in car passenger compartment based on flow field and temperature field. Qiche Gongcheng/Automotive Engineering 42, 2, 234–239.

    Google Scholar 

  • Liping, P., Mengmeng, G., Jun, W. and Yi, C. (2012). Aircraft cabin comfort analysis with human thermoregulation model. J. Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics 38, 2, 166–169, 174.

    Google Scholar 

  • Song, C., Liu, Y. and Liu, J. (2018). The sleeping thermal comfort model based on local thermal requirements in winter. Energy and Buildings, 173, 163–175.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tanabe, S., Kobayashi, K., Nakano, J., Ozeki, Y. and Konishi, M. (2002). Evaluation of thermal comfort using combined multi-node thermoregulation (65MN) and radiation models and computational fluid dynamics (CFD). Energy and Buildings 34, 6, 637–646.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang, H., Arens, E., Huizenga C. and Han, T. (2010a). Thermal sensation and comfort models for non-uniform and transient environments, Part I: Local sensation of individual body parts. Building and Environment 45, 2, 380–388.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang, H., Arens, E., Huizenga, C. and Han, T. (2010b). Thermal sensation and comfort models for non-uniform and transient environments, Part II: Local comfort of individual body parts. Building and Environment 45, 2, 380–388.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang, H., Arens, E., Huizenga, C. and Han, T. (2010c). Thermal sensation and comfort models for non-uniform and transient environments, Part III: Whole-body sensation and comfort. Building and Environment 45, 2, 399–410.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang, W., Chen, J. and Lan, F. (2014). Experimental study on occupant’s thermal responses under the non-uniform conditions in vehicle cabin during the heating period. Chinese J. Mechanical Engineering 27, 2, 331–339.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhou, X., Lai, D. and Chen, Q. (2019). Experimental investigation of thermal comfort in a passenger car under driving conditions. Building and Environment, 149, 109–119.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhou, X., Lian, Z. and Lan, L. (2013). An individualized human thermoregulation model for Chinese adults. Building and Environment, 70, 257–265.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhou, X., Zhang, H., Lian, Z. and Zhang, Y. (2014). A model for predicting thermal sensation of Chinese people. Building and Environment, 82, 237–246.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgement

This research was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 51775193) and Science and Technology Planning Project of Guangdong Province (Grant No. 2015B010137002).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Mechanical & Automotive Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510640, China

    Weijian Li, Jiqing Chen, Fengchong Lan & Xijiao Zheng

  2. Guangdong Key Laboratory of Automotive Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510640, China

    Weijian Li, Jiqing Chen, Fengchong Lan & Xijiao Zheng

  3. State Key Laboratory of Environment Apparatus Research Institute, China National Electric Apparatus Research Institute Ltd, 3 Kaitai Avenue, Huangpu District, Guangzhou, 510300, China

    Wenbo Zeng

Authors
  1. Weijian Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jiqing Chen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Fengchong Lan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Xijiao Zheng
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Wenbo Zeng
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Fengchong Lan.

Additional information

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Li, W., Chen, J., Lan, F. et al. Numerical Projection on Occupant Thermal Comfort via Dynamic Responses to Human Thermoregulation. Int.J Automot. Technol. 23, 193–203 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12239-022-0016-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12239-022-0016-z

Key Words

Search

Navigation