The professional driver and passenger expect a continuous strive for better thermal environment in all different types of vehicles and working machines. 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 passengers. The cabin environment is a very complex thermal situation. Heat exchange by convection, radiation and conduction varies independently over time and location. The final effect on the heat exchange of the human body is an important factor for the perception of the thermal conditions. Full-scale measurements and numerical simulation 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. Thermal manikin measurements of local climate disturbances with two different thermal manikins (MANIKIN1 and MANIKIN2) are found to be well correlated with the thermal sensation experienced by panels of subjects exposed to the same conditions. Results from measurements with a full-scale thermal manikin, MANIKIN2 are compared to CFD simulations with a virtual MANIKIN3. This information is visualised in new 'comfort zone diagrams', showing how an average human being in the same position would perceive the climate. 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.
Local evaluation of thermal comfort
Örtliche Auswertung von Wärmekomfort
International Journal of Vehicle Design ; 42 , 1/2 ; 8-21
2006
14 Seiten, 10 Bilder, 6 Tabellen, 18 Quellen
Article (Journal)
English
Anwendung im Fahrzeugbau , numerische Strömungssimulation , Raumklima , Behaglichkeit , Dummy , Produktentwicklung , technische Entwicklung , Wärmeübertragung , numerische Simulation , Wärmeverlust , Fahrzeugfenster , Fahrzeugsitz , Lüftung , Wechselwirkung , Einflussgröße , Reizwahrnehmung , Fahrzeugraum , Komfort (Eigenschaft)
Local evaluation of thermal comfort
Automotive engineering | 2006
|Local evaluation of thermal comfort
Online Contents | 2006
|Evaluation of Thermal Comfort in Convertibles
SAE Technical Papers | 2002
|Evaluation of thermal comfort in convertibles
Automotive engineering | 2002
|Evaluation of Thermal Comfort in Convertibles
British Library Conference Proceedings | 2002
|