Numerical assessment of heat transfer coefficient for preterm infant nursed under a radiant warmer

Abstract

Body heat loss management is the primary concern with respect to a newborn, as excess heat loss or gain leads to hypo‐ or hyperthermia, respectively. The aim of this article is to numerically investigate the convection and radiation heat transfer coefficient of a newborn nursed under a radiant warmer. The preterm neonate manikin has five body segments (head, trunk, leg, arms, and back) placed in a relaxed spine position. In the present study, numerical simulations are carried out for body temperature ranging between 32.5°C and 40.1°C. Ambient air temperature is chosen from 22.77°C to 30°C as preferred room temperature in the analysis. Airflow and heat transfer under the radiant warmer are analyzed in two operational modes, that is, power‐off and power‐on modes. In the power‐on mode, the convective heat transfer coefficient varies between 1.45 and 4.06 W/m2 K, whereas the radiative heat transfer coefficient varies between 0.08 and 3.28 W/m2 K under various operating conditions. The results obtained are numerically validated and found to be in fair agreement with the experimental results available in the open literature.