Human simulator – A tool for predicting thermal sensation in the built environment

Abstract

One of the challenges for engineers designing indoor environments is merging the need for energy savings with providing thermally comfortable conditions for the occupants. Since the best way to evaluate thermal comfort, i.e. direct enquiry, is at the same time the most costand time-consuming one, various modelling tools are widely used. However, in order to assess complex heterogeneous environments created by novel building systems, there is a need for more sophisticated and precise tools. In this paper, we present a new human simulator methodology for indoor environmental research, combining three tools to predict thermal sensation, namely, a thermal manikin, a thermoregulation model, and a thermal sensation model. Thanks to the thermoregulation model's control, the thermal manikin is capable of mimicking the thermo-physiological response of a human exposed to chosen environmental conditions, which provides reliable input data for advanced thermal sensation models. Along with presenting this concept, the performance of a commercially available human simulator was demonstrated on five validation examples representing office-like conditions for which thermal sensation was predicted with satisfactory accuracy. Based on the presented results, we discussed the capabilities and limitations of human simulators for indoor environment research such as the benefits of performing measurements directly in the assessed environment with real garments, and the challenges related to the manikin's accuracy. The presented human simulator approach is suitable to apply in the building's design process, as well as the development of new solutions for conditioning indoor spaces, and can support the evaluation of existing buildings.

High-performance computing for computational modelling in built environment-related studies – a scientometric review

“…It can also be used in conjunction with experimental fluid dynamics to make a hybrid for faster results, and improved time and cost spent on research (Meroney, 2016). Computer simulation using high-performance computing has been used in other areas such as the minimisation of detriment to the built environment due to solar water heating system, using energy plus software (Santos and Giglio, 2020), and in the prediction of thermal sensation in the built environment to provide comfort for building occupants while considering energy saving, using a human simulator (Koelblen et al, 2018). Notwithstanding the numerous benefits accrued from computer simulation, Wan and Ng (2018), in a study conducted based on rural areas of China, reasoned against the idea of simulations for measurement compared to locally acquired indicators in the determination of the sustainability of the built environment in these local areas.…”

Bayesian updates for indoor thermal comfort models

“…Research related to thermal manikin focuses on the development of thermal manikin which is capable of mimicking the human thermos-physiological responses toward different thermal conditions. Koelblen et al [56] identified in their study that precise tools like human simulator (thermal manikin) can provide reliable response data for thermal model to predict thermal sensation and acceptability, which save us from time-consuming and resource-demanding tasks like conducting survey and field data collection. A methodology that combines thermal manikin, thermoregulation model and thermal sensation model was therefore proposed improve the prediction performance.…”

A Review of CFD Analysis Methods for Personalized Ventilation (PV) in Indoor Built Environments

“…There are already several comprehensive reviews of thermoregulation models [163,[169][170][171]. The accuracy of transferred parameters of the environment around the human body in PV studies is vital to the accuracy of CFD simulation results.…”