A comparison of the dynamic thermal sensation between the modified Stolwijk model and the Fiala thermal physiology and comfort (FPC) model

Paul Roelofsen*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalComment/Letter to the editorScientificpeer-review

4 Citations (Scopus)
183 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Stolwijk developed a thermophysiological human model which, to day, is still the basis and inspiration for many other thermophysiological human models. The Stolwijk model used in this study is improved with regard of the calculation of the skin temperature and equipped with clothing as well as thermal sensation. Fiala also developed a thermophysiological model, based on the Stolwijk model, and is currently considered to be the latest development in thermophysiological human models. The current version of the Fiala model is known in practice as the Fiala thermal Physiology and Comfort (FPC) model. In the FPC model an equation is included to predict the thermal sensation under dynamic conditions, the so called Dynamic Thermal Sensation (DTS), based on the simulated core temperature and the mean skin temperature. This DTS-model was developed based on the subjects’ votes in early studies, which did not involve physiological measurements; instead, Fiala used his physiology model to predict the skin and the core temperatures from environmental variables measured in the tests. The correlations are therefore specific to the Fiala physiology model. In order to find out to what extent the DTS calculation results of the modified Stolwijk model deviate from the FPC model (version 5.3), in this study a number of variant calculations were carried out. Three well described and known scientific experiments from the professional literature are used for this, for a homogenous step-change transient thermal environment and for sedentary activity.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)284-294
Number of pages11
JournalIntelligent Buildings International
Volume12
Issue number4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2019

Keywords

  • HVAC systems
  • indoor environmental quality
  • Mathematical modelling
  • performance
  • thermal comfort

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