Relationship between thermal sensation and comfort in non-uniform and dynamic environments

The relationship between thermal sensation and thermal comfort was studied experimentally under uniform and non-uniform, steady and dynamic conditions separately. Thirty subjects participated in all the experiment and reported their thermal sensation and thermal comfort simultaneously. Thermal sensation and comfort are found to be correlated closely under steady and uniform conditions and the comfort zone of thermal sensation vote in warm side is (0, 1.25). Under steady and non-uniform conditions thermal sensation change with space is found to be an important factor determining thermal comfort. Combining the effects of overall thermal sensation and thermal sensation change with space, a thermal comfort model for steady conditions is proposed. Under dynamic conditions, thermal sensation change with time affects thermal comfort significantly. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.