CFD Modeling of Thermal Manikin Heat Loss in a Comfort Evaluation Benchmark Test

Computer simulated persons (CSPs) today are different in many ways, reflecting various software possibilities and limitations as well as different research interest. Unfortunately, too few of the theories behind thermal manikin simulations are available in the public domain. Many researchers and companies still use several in-house codes for their calculations. The validation and association with human perception and heat losses in reality is consequently very difficult to make.

This paper is providing requirements for the design and development of computer manikins and CFD benchmark tests for comfort evaluation. The main idea is to focus on people. It is the comfort requirements of occupants that decide what thermal climate that will prevail. It is therefore important to use comfort simulation methods that originate from people, not just temperatures on surfaces and air.