THERMAL COMFORT

Prepared By : Sr.Noorazlina Kamarulzaman

What is Thermal Comfort?

Thermal Comfort is the condition of mind which

expresses satisfaction with the thermal
environment.
(ASHRAE)
Why is Thermal Comfort Important??

A climate of comfortable
heat in a building can be
achieved using natural and
passive methods, and the
exploitation of beneficial
aspects from the climate can
contribute to a comfortable
environment in a building, for
example in a traditional
Malay house.
• Temperature and air movement factor will cause someone to feel hot,
very hot, neutral, cold or very cold.

• It will trigger different reactions from us, such as sweating profusely, or

shivering.

• Human sense receptor (i.e skin, eyes, nose etc) will receive the signal and
send it to the brain to trigger response towards the change in
environmental temperature.

• The need for comfortable heat in a building does not only depend on air
temperature factor, but also the level of air movement, the effect of sun
ray, relative humidity, environment surface temperature, type of activity
and clothing or attire.

• The study of comfortable heat and body mechanism, and how they are
influenced by environmental changes should also be taken into
account.
 Body Temperature
37 oC 34 oC

 The normal body core temperature is 37 oC.

 We have separate Heat- and Cold-sensors.
 Heat sensor is located in hypothalamus.
Signals when temperature is higher than 37
o
C.
 Cold sensors are located in the skin. Send
o
signals when skin temperature is below 34 C.
 Heating mechanism:
 Reduced blood flow.
 Shivering.
 Cooling mechanism:
 Increased blood flow.
 Sweating (Evaporation).

Hot Cold
Perception of Thermal Environment
 Heat sensor in Hypothalamus
send impulses when
temperature exceeds 37 oC.

 Cold sensors sends impulses

when skin temperature below
34 oC.

 The bigger temperature

difference, the more impulses.

 If impulses are of same

magnitude, you feel thermally
neutral.

Warm Cold  If not, you feel cold or warm.

impulses impulses Activity
The Energy Balance

Heat Heat
Produc
-ed
Lost

 Thermal Comfort can only be maintained when heat produced by

metabolism equals the heat loss from body.
 Heat stress may be felt when there is no balance between the body and
the environment heat. This is caused by imbalance of heat production
and heat loss in the body.
 The relative amount of metabolic heat exchange between body and
environment is determined by type of physical activity, clothing,
environment and wind velocity.
HUMAN BODY
• The human body needs
energy to work/move.
Energy generates from the
burning of food through
the process of metabolism.
In the process of turning
food into energy, heat is
created.
• The amount of metabolism
heat that is created
comprises of heat that is
produced by ’basal
metabolism’, which is the
amount of energy needed
by each individuals during
rest period.
Metabolic Rate
0.8 Met
 Energy released by metabolism
depends on muscular activity.

 Metabolism is measured in Met

(1 Met=58.15 W/m2 body surface).
8 Met
 Body surface for normal adult is
1 Met 1.7 m2.

 A sitting person in thermal

comfort will have a heat loss of
100 W.

4 Met  Average activity level for the last

hour should be used when
evaluating metabolic rate, due
to body’s heat capacity.
Met Value Table
Activity Metabolic rates [M]
Reclining 46 W/m2 0.8 Met
Seated relaxed 58 W/m2 1.0 Met
Clock and watch repairer 65 W/m2 1.1 Met
Standing relaxed 70 W/m2 1.2 Met
Car driving 80 W/m2 1.4 Met
Standing, light activity (shopping) 93 W/m2 1.6 Met
Walking on the level, 2 km/h 110 W/m2 1.9 Met
Standing, medium activity (domestic work) 116 W/m2 2.0 Met
Washing dishes standing 145 W/m2 2.5 Met
Walking on the level, 5 km/h 200 W/m2 3.4 Met
Building industry 275 W/m2 4.7 Met
Sports - running at 15 km/h 550 W/m2 9.5 Met
Met Value Examples
BODY HEAT TRANSFER
 Heat transfer between
body and environment
to maintain body
temperature at 37ºC
ensures optimum health.

 Heat transfer through the

skin happens through :
 Radiation
 Convection
 Evaporation
 Conduction.
1) Heat Transfer Through Convection (perolakan)

Heat is transferred from the body to the

environment through convection when
hot air on your skin @ clothes is replaced
by cooler air. The rate of heat loss
through convection depends on the
difference in temperature and air
movement. Air velocity is low, heat is
transferred through convection because
of difference in temperature.
2) Heat Transfer Through Radiation (radiasi)

Heat loss from body surface to the

environment will happen when there is a
difference in temperature. Heat is lost
from skin surface, firstly it is transferred to
the surface of clothing through
conduction, and then to the air through
convection and radiation, depending
on air velocity, temperature difference
between two surfaces. The rate of heat
loss depends on the radiation on the
body and environment temperature.
3) Heat Transfer Through Evaporation (penyejatan)

Heat will be lost to the environment

when excess heat cannot be eliminated
through radiation and convection. The
evaporation of humidity; perspiration
(peluh), from body surface will cool the
body. Heat is also lost through respiration
(pernafasan), which is the difference
between the air inhaled and exhaled.
The rate of heat loss depends on air RH
and existing humidity level that leads to
evaporation.
4) Heat Transfer Through Conduction (pengaliran)

Heat loss happens when there is direct

contact between the skin and a cooler
object. Conduction rate depends on
the temperature difference between the
skin and object i.e. clothing, air layers.
 Heatbalance can be achieved using Fanger’s
formula (Fanger 1970):
H – Ed –Esw – Ere – L = K = R + C

H – heat production from body

Ed – heat loss through air radiation on the skin
Esw – heat loss through evaporation of sweat on skin surface
Ere – heat loss through breathing (latent)
L – heat loss through breathing
K – heat transfer from skin to external surface
R – heat loss through from external surface
C – heat loss through convection from external surface (clothing)
Thermal Comfort
• The task of the designer is to
create the best possible
indoor climate or even the
environment for the users as
they judge the design in
terms of physical & emotional
point of view. Comfort relies
on human senses.

• Thermal comfort criteria were

formed in Europe in the early
19th century. Thus it was the
starting of the movement for
environmental innovations in
the industry and housing
Thermal Environments
Thermal Comfort is a matter of many parameters.
Not only the air temperature, It also includes humidity, heat from
the sun, and air movement.

Factors Affecting
Thermal Comfort
 Human thermal comfort
 Indoor thermal comfort
 Outdoor thermal comfort
1) Human thermal comfort
a) Physical Comfort
• heat balance requirement
• biological need
• hygiene requirement
• physical needs

b) Comfort Satisfaction
• depend on individual ages
• occupation
• social status
• personal preferences

 These factors influencing human body (skin) in adapting

body temperature toward the environment.
2) Indoor Thermal Comfort
a) Activity level
• active, normal, non active (general worker, postman, clerk)
• sports/athletes, walking, running, sleeping
• seminar, forum, meeting

b) Clothing choices
• types of material (cotton – comfort, nylon etc)
• depend on individual to control heat changes between body
surface and the environment.
• sleeping - cotton
• working in air-conditioned room –nylon, mix

c) Metabolism Rate of Activity

• energy amount/ heat that is released and needed by all individuals
through blood circulation and breathing
• energy obtained from food that are burned through biological
processes in the human body, to create energy for daily activities
• measured in kilo Joule (kJ)
• heat production rate depends on human activity
Outdoor Thermal Comfort
Temperature
• Temperature varies throughout the day and throughout the year
and is the most obvious metric to consider for passive heating
and cooling design.
• Two basic aspects of temperature are dry bulb temperature
(DBT) and wet bulb temperature (WBT). From these metrics you
can learn about both the air temperature and the humidity.
a) Dry bulb temperature (DBT) b) Wet Bulb Temperature (WBT)

• Is simply the temperature of • Is the air temperature that

the air. takes into account the cooling
• It does not consider moisture. potential of evaporation.
• It is measured in degrees • It is measured by exposing a
Celsius, degrees Fahrenheit, moistened thermometer bulb
or Kelvin and can be to air flow (wrapping a
measured with a thermometer bulb in wet cloth)
thermometer exposed to the Similar to the DBT, WBT can be
air. measured in degrees Celsius,
• In construction, it is an degrees Fahrenheit, or Kelvin.
important consideration • Together, dry bulb and wet
when designing a building for bulb temperatures can
a certain climate. This is one measure humidity in device
of the most important known hygrometer.
variables for human comfort
and building energy.
c) Mean Radiant Temperature (MRT)
Actual room Imaginary room
t4
tr R’
R
t1
Heat
exchange by
radiation:
R=R’
t2 t3
 The Mean Radiant Temperature is that uniform temperature of a
black enclosure with which the individual exchanges the same
heat by radiation as the actual environment considered.
 Measuring all surface temperatures and calculation of angle
factors is time consuming. Therefore use of MRT is avoided when
possible.
 This temperature is measured directly using a globe thermometer.
Psychrometric chart
Psychrometric chart is the science of studying the thermodynamic
properties of moist air and the use of these properties to analyze
conditions and processes involving moist air.

The air condition can be determined by using a Psychrometric Chart or

a Mollier Chart. Common properties used in the charts includes:
 Dry-bulb temperature
 Wet-bulb temperature
 Relative humidity (RH)
 Humidity ratio
 Specific volume
 Dew point temperature
 Enthalpy

With two known properties it is possible to characterize the air in the

intersection of the property lines, the state-point. With the intersection
point located on the chart or diagram, other air properties can be read
directly.
Dry-Bulb Temperature - Tdb
Dry bulb temperature is usually referred to as air temperature, is the air property that is
most common used. When people refer to the temperature of the air, they are normally
referring to its dry bulb temperature. Dry-bulb temperature - Tdb, can be measured by
using a normal thermometer. The dry-bulb temperature is an indicator of heat content
and is shown along the bottom axis of the psychrometric chart. The vertical lines
extending upward from this axis are constant-temperature lines.

Wet-Bulb Temperature - Twb

Wet bulb temperature is associated with the moisture content of the air. Wet bulb
temperature can be measured with a thermometer that has the bulb covered with a
water-moistened bandage with air flowing over the thermometer. Wet bulb
temperatures are always lower than dry bulb temperatures but they will be identical with
100% relative humidity in the air (the air is at the saturation line). On the chart, the wet-
bulb lines slope a little upward to the left, and the temperature is read at the saturation
line.

Relative Humidity - RH
Relative humidity is the ratio of the water vapor pressure - pw, to the vapor pressure of
saturated air at the same temperature - pws, expressed as a percentage. Relative
humidity is a relative measure. The moisture-holding capacity of air increases with air
temperature. In practice relative humidity indicates the moisture level of the air
compared to the airs moisture-holding capacity.
Note ! The moisture holding capacity of air increases dramatically with temperature!
Relative humidity lines in the chart are curved lines that move upward to the right. The line
representing saturated air where the relative humidity - RH is 100%, is the uppermost curved line in
the chart.

Dew Point - Tdp

Dew point is the temperature at which water vapor starts to condense out of the air, the
temperature at which air becomes completely saturated. Above this temperature the moisture will
stay in the air. This temperature can be read by following a horizontal line from the state-point to
the saturation line. Dew point is represented along the 100% relative humidity line in the
psychrometric chart.

Specific Volume of Humid Air - v

Specific volume represents the space occupied by a unit weight of dry air (ft3/lb), and is equal to
1/(air density). Specific volume is shown along the bottom axis of the psychrometric chart with
constant-volume lines slanting upward to the left.

Moisture Content and Humidity Ratio - x

Moisture content and humidity ratio differs from relative humidity in that it is the amount of water
vapor by weight, in the air. The dry-basis moisture content of air is expressed as the weight of water
vapor per unit weight of dry air. Humidity ratio is indicated along the right-hand axis in the
psychrometric chart.

Enthalpy - h
Enthalpy is the measure of the total energy in the air, the energy content per unit air weight
(Btu/lbda) (dry air). Enthalpy is read from where the appropriate wet-bulb line crosses the diagonal
scale above the saturation curve. Air with same amount of energy may either be dry hot air (high
sensible heat) or cool moist air (high latent heat).