scholarly journals Thermal history and comfort in a Brazilian subtropical climate: a 'cool' addiction hypothesis

2016 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 7-20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Renata De Vecchi ◽  
Christhina Maria Cândido ◽  
Roberto Lamberts
Keyword(s):  
Air Temperature ◽  
Indoor Air ◽  
Thermal History ◽  
Air Conditioning ◽  
Prolonged Exposure ◽  
Temperature Fluctuations ◽  
Subtropical Climate ◽  
Indoor Thermal Comfort ◽  
Air Speed ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Currently, there is a rising trend for commercial buildings to use air conditioning to provide indoor thermal comfort. This paper focuses on the impact of prolonged exposure to indoor air-conditioned environments on occupants' thermal acceptability and preferences in a mixed-mode building in Brazil. Questionnaires were administered while indoor microclimatic measurements were carried out (i.e., air temperature, radiant air temperature, air speed and humidity). Results suggest significant differences in occupants' thermal acceptability and cooling preferences based on thermal history; differences were found between groups based on different physical characteristics (i.e., different gender and body condition). The findings also indicated a significant potential to implement temperature fluctuations indoors when occupants are exposed to air conditioning environments in warm and humid climates.

scholarly journals Can Public Spaces Effectively Be Used as Cleaner Indoor Air Shelters during Extreme Smoke Events?

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (8) ◽  
pp. 4085
Author(s):  
Amanda J. Wheeler ◽  
Ryan W. Allen ◽  
Kerryn Lawrence ◽  
Christopher T. Roulston ◽  
Jennifer Powell ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Indoor Air ◽  
Air Conditioning ◽  
High Efficiency ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Public Building ◽  
Central Air Conditioning ◽  
The Media ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Pm2.5 Concentration

During extreme air pollution events, such as bushfires, public health agencies often recommend that vulnerable individuals visit a nearby public building with central air conditioning to reduce their exposure to smoke. However, there is limited evidence that these “cleaner indoor air shelters” reduce exposure or health risks. We quantified the impact of a “cleaner indoor air shelter” in a public library in Port Macquarie, NSW, Australia when concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) were elevated during a local peat fire and nearby bushfires. Specifically, we evaluated the air quality improvements with central air conditioning only and with the use of portable high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter air cleaners. We measured PM2.5 from August 2019 until February 2020 by deploying pairs of low-cost PM2.5 sensors (i) inside the main library, (ii) in a smaller media room inside the library, (iii) outside the library, and (iv) co-located with regulatory monitors located in the town. We operated two HEPA cleaners in the media room from August until October 2019. We quantified the infiltration efficiency of outdoor PM2.5 concentrations, defined as the fraction of the outdoor PM2.5 concentration that penetrates indoors and remains suspended, as well as the additional effect of HEPA cleaners on PM2.5 concentrations. The infiltration efficiency of outdoor PM2.5 into the air-conditioned main library was 30%, meaning that compared to the PM2.5 concentration outdoors, the concentrations of outdoor-generated PM2.5 indoors were reduced by 70%. In the media room, when the HEPA cleaners were operating, PM2.5 concentrations were reduced further with a PM2.5 infiltration efficiency of 17%. A carefully selected air-conditioned public building could be used as a cleaner indoor air shelter during episodes of elevated smoke emissions. Further improvements in indoor air quality within the building can be achieved by operating appropriately sized HEPA cleaners.

Uncertainty Quantification of Thermocouple Air Temperature Measurement in Highly Radiative Environment: Application to Turbofan Engine Compartment

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Sommerer ◽  
V. Drouin ◽  
X. Nicolas ◽  
B. Trouette
Keyword(s):  
Heat Flux ◽  
Temperature Measurement ◽  
Air Temperature ◽  
Data Bank ◽  
Heat Shield ◽  
Engine Compartment ◽  
Heat Shields ◽  
Air Speed ◽  
Thermocouple Temperature ◽  
The Impact

This paper focuses on thermocouple air temperature measurement uncertainty due to the radiative fluxes present in the engine compartment where engine case skin temperature can exceed 900 K. To really measure air temperature, the convective heat flux in the thermocouple bead must be predominant. This is why heat shields are used in order to reduce the radiative heat flux on the bead. However, in engine compartment, the heat shield orientation must be optimized since numerous hot walls surround the thermocouple. In order to evaluate the impact of badly oriented heat shields and to provide a data bank for numerical simulation validations, a heated wind tunnel has been used. It has been shown that the uncertainty on the thermocouple temperature can reach dozens of degrees depending on the air speed and the heat shield orientation. Furthermore a specific 3D thermocouple model has been build and validated by comparison with the lab measurements. Then this thermocouple 3D model has been integrated in the whole engine compartment aero-thermal model in order to quantify the uncertainty of the thermocouple air temperature measurement in the real engine environment.

scholarly journals Energy-saving potential of intermittent heating system: Influence of composite phase change wall and optimization strategy

2020 ◽  
pp. 014459872096921
Author(s):  
Yanru Li ◽  
Enshen Long ◽  
Lili Zhang ◽  
Xiangyu Dong ◽  
Suo Wang
Keyword(s):  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Thermal Comfort ◽  
Phase Change ◽  
Air Temperature ◽  
Indoor Air ◽  
Thermal Environment ◽  
Optimization Strategy ◽  
Indoor Thermal Environment ◽  
Indoor Thermal Comfort ◽  
Intermittent Heating

In the Yangtze River zone of China, the heating operation in buildings is mainly part-time and part-space, which could affect the indoor thermal comfort while making the thermal process of building envelope different. This paper proposed to integrate phase change material (PCM) to building walls to increase the indoor thermal comfort and attenuate the temperature fluctuations during intermittent heating. The aim of this study is to investigate the influence of this kind of composite phase change wall (composite-PCW) on the indoor thermal environment and energy consumption of intermittent heating, and further develop an optimization strategy of intermittent heating operation by using EnergyPlus simulation. Results show that the indoor air temperature of the building with the composite-PCW was 2–3°C higher than the building with the reference wall (normal foamed concrete wall) during the heating-off process. Moreover, the indoor air temperature was higher than 18°C and the mean radiation temperature was above 20°C in the first 1 h after stopping heating. Under the optimized operation condition of turning off the heating device 1 h in advance, the heat release process of the composite-PCW to the indoor environment could maintain the indoor thermal environment within the comfortable range effectively. The composite-PCW could decrease 4.74% of the yearly heating energy consumption compared with the reference wall. The optimization described can provide useful information and guidance for the energy saving of intermittently heated buildings.

Inter-personal factors affecting building occupants’ thermal tolerance at cold outdoor condition during an autumn–winter period

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (7) ◽  
pp. 987-1005 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shahla Ghaffari Jabbari ◽  
Aida Maleki ◽  
Mohammad Ali Kaynezhad ◽  
Bjarne W. Olesen
Keyword(s):  
Air Temperature ◽  
Indoor Air ◽  
Thermal Tolerance ◽  
Thermal Sensation ◽  
Psychological Adaptation ◽  
Balance Model ◽  
Winter Period ◽  
Personal Factors ◽  
Outdoor Temperature ◽  
The Impact

The study was conducted to investigate thermal adaptation and the impact of individual differences on developing thermal tolerance when the outdoor temperature falls below 10°C. The applicability of the predicted mean vote (PMV) model was investigated, too. The concept of occupant’s ‘Temperament’ was evaluated as a psychological-adaptation factor. Two main hypotheses were: (a) people with different temperaments would experience different thermal sensations and (b) the classic PMV- predicted percentage dissatisfied (PPD) model is capable of predicting the neutral sensation in heated buildings under cold outdoor temperatures. There was a direct relationship between individual temperament and clothing level as well as thermal sensation. The occupants who were assessed to have cold temperament tend to wear thicker clothes and were more sensitive to variations in indoor air temperature than others. Females with a cold temperament were more than twice as likely to be affected by indoor air temperature as those with a warm temperament. The PMV-PPD model was able to predict the mean neutral temperature in the heated buildings even when the outdoor temperature fell below 10°C. However, when occupants were able to control high indoor temperature, the percentage of true prediction of actual mean votes by the adaptive thermal heat balance model was more than that by the classic PMV model.

scholarly journals The Impact of Infiltration on Heating Systems Dimensioning in Estonian Climate

2020 ◽  
Vol 172 ◽  
pp. 05004
Author(s):  
Raimo Simson ◽  
Taaniel Rebane ◽  
Martin Kiil ◽  
Martin Thalfeldt ◽  
Jarek Kurnitski
Keyword(s):  
Air Temperature ◽  
Indoor Air ◽  
Energy Performance ◽  
Simulation Software ◽  
Heat Losses ◽  
Climatic Data ◽  
Heating Systems ◽  
Air Temperatures ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Calculation Models

In this study we analysed the climatic conditions for infiltration estimation, different calculation methods and infiltration impact on heat load for heating systems dimensioning. To determine the wind conditions at low air temperatures of the coastal- and inland climatic zones in Estonia, 42 years of climatic data for Tallinn and Tartu were investigated. Calculation models with detailed air leakages were constructed of a single and two-storey detached house using dynamic simulation software IDA ICE. Simulations were carried out with the constructed calculation models, simulating various wind and sheltering conditions to determine the heating load of the buildings under measured wind conditions at the design external air temperatures. The simulation results were compared with results calculated with European Standard EN 12831:2017, methodology given in the Estonian regulation for calculating energy performance of buildings and with simulations using the default settings in IDA ICE based on the ASHRAE design day conditions. The percentage of heat losses caused by infiltration was found as 13-16% of all heat losses for the studied buildings. Simulations with historical climate periods showed that even in windy weather conditions the heating system dimensioned by the methods analysed may not be able to provide the required indoor air temperature. Analysis using the coldest and windiest periods showed that when systems are dimensioned by the studied methods, the highest decline in indoor air temperature occurs on the windiest day and not on the coldest day. The impact of high wind speeds and low sheltering conditions resulted up to 50% of all heat losses.

scholarly journals User Thermal Comfort in Historic Buildings: Evaluation of the Potential of Thermal Mass, Orientation, Evaporative Cooling and Ventilation

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (22) ◽  
pp. 9672
Author(s):  
Mamdooh Alwetaishi ◽  
Ashraf Balabel ◽  
Ahmed Abdelhafiz ◽  
Usama Issa ◽  
Ibrahim Sharaky ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Comfort ◽  
High Altitude ◽  
Air Temperature ◽  
Thermal Performance ◽  
Indoor Air ◽  
Computer Modelling ◽  
Evaporative Cooling ◽  
Comfort Level ◽  
Thermal Mass ◽  
The Impact

The study investigated the level of thermal comfort in historical buildings located at a relatively high altitude in the Arabian Desert of Saudi Arabia. The study focused on the impact of the use of thermal mass and orientation on the level of thermal performance at Shubra and Boqri Palaces. Qualitative and quantitative analyses were used in this study, including a questionnaire interview with architecture experts living at the relatively high altitude of Taif city, to obtain data and information from local experts. The computer software TAS EDSL was used along with on-site equipment, such as thermal imaging cameras and data loggers, to observe the physical conditions of the building in terms of its thermal performance. The study revealed that the experts’ age and years of experience were important aspects while collecting data from them during the survey. The use of thermal mass had a slight impact on the indoor air temperature as well as the energy consumption, but it helped in providing thermal comfort. Use of ventilation can improve thermal comfort level. Evaporative cooling technique has a considerable impact on reducing indoor air temperature with 4 °C drop, improving the thermal comfort sensation level. The novelty of this work is that, it links the outcomes of qualitative results of experts with field monitoring as well as computer modelling. This can contribute as method to accurately collect data in similar case studies.

scholarly journals Probabilistic modeling of the indoor climates of residential buildings using EnergyPlus

2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (3) ◽  
pp. 225-246 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Buechler ◽  
Simon Pallin ◽  
Philip Boudreaux ◽  
Michaela Stockdale
Keyword(s):  
Relative Humidity ◽  
Air Temperature ◽  
Indoor Air ◽  
Air Conditioning ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
The United States ◽  
Climate Data ◽  
Indoor Climate ◽  
Oak Ridge ◽  
Simulation Engine

The indoor air temperature and relative humidity in residential buildings significantly affect material moisture durability, heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning system performance, and occupant comfort. Therefore, indoor climate data are generally required to define boundary conditions in numerical models that evaluate envelope durability and equipment performance. However, indoor climate data obtained from field studies are influenced by weather, occupant behavior, and internal loads and are generally unrepresentative of the residential building stock. Likewise, whole-building simulation models typically neglect stochastic variables and yield deterministic results that are applicable to only a single home in a specific climate. The purpose of this study was to probabilistically model homes with the simulation engine EnergyPlus to generate indoor climate data that are widely applicable to residential buildings. Monte Carlo methods were used to perform 840,000 simulations on the Oak Ridge National Laboratory supercomputer (Titan) that accounted for stochastic variation in internal loads, air tightness, home size, and thermostat set points. The Effective Moisture Penetration Depth model was used to consider the effects of moisture buffering. The effects of location and building type on indoor climate were analyzed by evaluating six building types and 14 locations across the United States. The average monthly net indoor moisture supply values were calculated for each climate zone, and the distributions of indoor air temperature and relative humidity conditions were compared with ASHRAE 160 and EN 15026 design conditions. The indoor climate data will be incorporated into an online database tool to aid the building community in designing effective heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning systems and moisture durable building envelopes.

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