Improvement of Human Thermal Comfort by Optimizing the Airflow Induced by a Ceiling Fan

Hsin-Hung Lin
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Hsin-Hung Lin: Department of Creative Product Design, Asia University and Department of Medical Research, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung City 41354, Taiwan

Sustainability, 2019, vol. 11, issue 12, 1-17

Abstract: The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between the greenhouse effect and the overuse of electricity and energy under a sustainable environment. The goal is to investigate the airflow that is induced by ceiling fans, by measuring human body temperature. In the simulation model, the thermal plume phenomenon is observed in the indoor environment. By changing the ceiling fan parameters, the influence of the airflow is investigated by practical measurement of human body temperature. The indoor convective heat transfer is enhanced by installing a ceiling fan, which affects the whole body thermal sensation (WBTS). Different scenarios are reviewed by adjusting the fan speed in the simulation model, so that the distribution of human body temperature can be determined. By modeling the blade plane of the ceiling fan, the airflow characteristics can be determined by making the simulation model rotate in order to assess the thermal comfort characteristics. As the ceiling fan generates circulation within the domain, the thermal comfort is significantly enhanced. By keeping a reasonable thermal comfort level, a higher room temperature or a higher heat load is allowed so that a sustainable environment can be maintained without affecting the indoor thermal comfort or the efficiency of energy usage.

Keywords: air distribution; CFD simulation; ceiling fan; interior temperature; thermal plume; convective boundary; buoyancy driven flows (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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