Thermal Comfort Modelling and Prediction
category
Thermal comfort modelling uses mathematical representations of human thermoregulation, heat transfer through clothing layers, and environmental heat exchange to predict the thermal sensation and comfort perception of dressed individuals under specified conditions of activity, clothing, and environment — enabling clothing system performance prediction without exhaustive physical testing of every garment and condition combination. Models range from the simple predicted mean vote index based on six environmental and clothing parameters, through multi-node thermoregulatory models representing the body as interconnected thermal compartments, to computational fluid dynamics simulations of heat and moisture transfer through clothing microstructures. Model validation against human subject physiological data determines the accuracy and applicability range of each modelling approach.
Role
Thermal comfort modelling provides the computational tool that extends the reach of physical testing and human subject trials across the enormous parameter space of clothing, activity, and environment combinations that would be impractical to test exhaustively — enabling clothing system designers to explore design alternatives computationally before physical prototyping, occupational health practitioners to calculate safe working conditions from clothing specifications, and building services engineers to design thermal environments appropriate for the clothing worn by occupants.
Subtopics
- Predicted Mean Vote PMV and PPD Thermal Comfort Model The predicted mean vote model calculates the expected mean thermal sensation rating of a large group…
- Multi-Node Human Thermoregulation Models for Clothing Multi-node thermoregulatory models represent the human body as a network of interconnected thermal c…