Method and apparatus for calculating thermal sensitivity

Claim 1

A method of calculating thermal sensitivity felt by a person in an environment using an environment measuring section disposed in the environment, the environment measuring section disposed in the environment, the environment measuring section having an associated temperature sensor for detecting a surface temperature Tcr of the environment measuring section and an associated heating means for adjusting the surface temperature Tcr, comprising the steps of: calculating a set temperature q.sub.(th) on the basis of an air temperature Ta and a clothing thermal resistance Icl input to a thermal sensitivity calculating section; supplying thermal energy information Hq.sub.(th) from a thermal energy control section to the associated heating means for heating the associated sensor; heating the associated sensor to set the surface temperature Tcr of the associated sensor to be equal to the set temperature q.sub.(th) ; supplying a thermal energy information value representing an amount of power H supplied to the heating means to maintain the surface temperature Tcr substantially the same as the set temperature q.sub.(th) from the thermal energy control section to the thermal sensitivity calculating section; and calculating an equivalent temperature Teq * on the basis of the air temperature Ta, the set temperature q.sub.(th), the thermal energy information value, and coefficients b 1 to b 4 , according to the following equation (a), when the sensor temperature Tcr is lower than the set temperature q.sub.(th), and calculating the equivalent temperature Teq * on the basis of the air temperature Ta, the set temperature q.sub.(th), a difference ΔTcr between the sensor temperature Tcr and the set temperature q.sub.(th), an air velocity Vair, the thermal energy information Hq.sub.(th) representing the amount of power H supplied to the heating means, a coefficient c 1 expressed in consideration of the clothing thermal resistance Icl, coefficients c 2 to c 6 , and a coefficient n, according to the following equation (b), when the sensor temperature Tcr is higher than the set temperature q.sub.(th), Teq.sup.* =b.sub.1 +b.sub.2 ×θ.sub.(th) +b.sub.3 ×Ta-b.sub.4 ×Hθ.sub.(th) (a) Teq.sup.* =c.sub.1 +c.sub.2 ×θ.sub.(th) +c.sub.3 ×Ta+c.sub.4 ×(1+c.sub.5 +Vair.sup.n)×ΔTcr-c.sub.6 ×Hθ.sub.(th) (b) where ##EQU19##

Claim 2

A method of calculating thermal sensitivity felt by a person in an environment using an environment measuring section disposed in the environment, the environment measuring section disposed in the environment, the environment measuring section having an associated temperature sensor for detecting a surface temperature Tcr of the environment measuring section and an associated heating means for adjusting the surface temperature Tcr, comprising the steps of: calculating a set temperature q.sub.(th) on the basis of an air temperature Ta and a clothing thermal resistance Icl input to a thermal sensitivity calculating section; supplying thermal energy information Hq.sub.(th) from a thermal energy control section to the associated heating means for heating the associated sensor; heating the associated sensor to set the surface temperature Tcr of the associated sensor to be equal to the set temperature q.sub.(th) ; supplying a thermal energy information value representing an amount of power H supplied to the heating means to maintain the surface temperature Tcr substantially the same as the set temperature q.sub.(th) from the thermal energy control section to the thermal sensitivity calculating section; and calculating an equivalent temperature Teq * on the basis of the air temperature Ta, the set temperature q.sub.(th), the thermal energy information value, and coefficients b 1 to b 4 , according to the following equation (a), when the sensor temperature Tcr is lower than the set temperature q.sub.(th), and calculating the equivalent temperature Teq * on the basis of the air temperature Ta, the set temperature q.sub.(th), a difference ΔTcr between the sensor temperature Tcr and the set temperature q.sub.(th), an air velocity Vair, the thermal energy information Hq.sub.(th) representing the amount of power H supplied to the heating means, a coefficient c 1 expressed in consideration of the clothing thermal resistance Icl, coefficients c 2 to c 6 , and a coefficient n, according to the following equation (b), when the sensor temperature Tcr is higher than the set temperature q.sub.(th), Teq.sup.* =b.sub.1 +b.sub.2 ×θ.sub.(th) +b.sub.3 ×Ta-b.sub.4 ×Hθ.sub.(th) (a) Teq.sup.* =c.sub.1 +c.sub.2 ×θ.sub.(th) +c.sub.3 ×Ta+c.sub.4 ×(1+c.sub.5 +Vair.sup.n)×ΔTcr-c.sub.6 ×Hθ.sub.(th) (b) where ##EQU19##

Claim 3

A method of calculating predicted mean thermal sensitivity felt by a person in an environment using an environment measuring section disposed in the environment, the environment measuring section having an associated temperature sensor for detecting a surface temperature Tcr of the environment measuring section and an associated heating means for adjusting the surface temperature Tcr, comprising the steps of: calculating a set temperature q.sub.(th) on the basis of an air temperature Ta and a clothing thermal resistance Icl input to a thermal sensitivity calculating section; supplying thermal energy information Hq.sub.(th) from a thermal energy control section to the associated heating means for heating the associated sensor; heating the associated sensor to set the surface temperature Tcr of the associated sensor to be equal to the set temperature q.sub.(th) ; supplying a thermal energy information value representing an amount of power H supplied to the heating means to maintain the surface temperature Tcr substantially the same as the set temperature q.sub.(th) from the thermal energy control section to the thermal sensitivity calculating section; calculating an equivalent temperature Teq * on the basis of the air temperature Ta, the set temperature q.sub.(th), the thermal energy information value, and coefficients b 1 to b 4 , according to the following equation (a), when the sensor temperature Tcr is lower than the set temperature q.sub.(th), and calculating the equivalent temperature Teq on the basis of the air temperature, the set temperature q.sub.(th), a difference ΔTcr between the sensor temperature Tcr and the set temperature q.sub.(th), an air velocity Vair, the thermal energy information Hq.sub.(th) representing the amount of power H supplied to the heating means, a coefficient c 1 expressed in consideration of the clothing thermal resistance Icl, coefficients c 2 to c 6 , and a coefficient n, according to the following equation (b), when the sensor temperature Tcr is higher than the set temperature q.sub.(th) ; supplying the equivalent temperature Teq * to a predicted mean thermal sensitivity calculating section; and calculating predicted mean thermal sensitivity PMV * on the basis of the obtained equivalent temperature Teq * , a humidity RH, an activity amount M et , a skin temperature T sk (T sk =35.7-0.0275×M et ×58.15), the air temperature Ta, an absolute water vapor pressure P(Ta) at the air temperature Ta, the clothing thermal resistance Icl, a thermal resistance effect Fcl (Fcl=E 1 /(E 2 +E 3 ×Icl)) based on coefficients E 1 to E 3 , and coefficients D 1 to D 7 , according to the following equation (c), Teq.sup.* =b.sub.1 +b.sub.2 ×θ.sub.(th) +b.sub.3 ×Ta-b.sub.4 ×Hθ.sub.(th) (a) Teq.sup.* =c.sub.1 +c.sub.2 ×θ.sub.(th) +c.sub.3 ×Ta+c.sub.4 ×(1+c.sub.5 +Vair.sup.n)×ΔTcr-c.sub.6 ×Hθ.sub.(th) (b) PMV.sup.* =a×LOAD.sup.* (c) where ##EQU20## a=0.303×EXP(-0.036'M et ×58.15)+0.028; and E 1 =8.976, E 2 =1, and E 3 =1.466; and if M et <1.0, then LOAD.sup.* =D.sub.1 +D.sub.2 ×M.sub.et -D.sub.3 ×T.sub.sk +D.sub.4 ×M.sub.et ×Ta+(D.sub.5 +D.sub.6 ×M.sub.et)×RH×P(Ta)-Fcl×(T.sub.sk -Teq.sup.*), where D1=10.2895,D2=49.5152,D3=0.7808, D4-0.08142,D5=0.004067, D6=0.00133338 and D7=24.423; and if Met≧1.0, then LOAD.sup.* =D.sub.1 +D.sub.2 ×M.sub.35 -D.sub.3 ×T.sub.sk +D.sub.4 ×M.sub.et ×Ta+(D.sub.5 +D.sub.6 ×M.sub.et)×RH×P(Ta)-D.sub.7 ×(M.sub.et -1)-Fcl×(T.sub.sk -Teq.sup.*), where D1=10.2895, D2=49.5152, D3=0.7808, D4=0.08142, D5=0.004067, D6=0.00133338 and D7=24.423.

Claim 4

A method of calculating predicted mean thermal sensitivity felt by a person in an environment using an environment measuring section disposed in the environment, the environment measuring section having an associated temperature sensor for detecting a surface temperature Tcr of the environment measuring section and an associated heating means for adjusting the surface temperature Tcr, comprising the steps of: calculating a set temperature q.sub.(th) on the basis of an air temperature Ta and a clothing thermal resistance Icl input to a thermal sensitivity calculating section; supplying thermal energy information Hq.sub.(th) from a thermal energy control section to the associated heating means for heating the associated sensor; heating the associated sensor to set the surface temperature Tcr of the associated sensor to be equal to the set temperature q.sub.(th) ; supplying a thermal energy information value representing an amount of power H supplied to the heating means to maintain the surface temperature Tcr substantially the same as the set temperature q.sub.(th) from the thermal energy control section to the thermal sensitivity calculating section; calculating an equivalent temperature Teq * on the basis of the air temperature Ta, the set temperature q.sub.(th), the thermal energy information value, and coefficients b 1 to b 4 , according to the following equation (a), when the sensor temperature Tcr is lower than the set temperature q.sub.(th), and calculating the equivalent temperature Teq on the basis of the air temperature, the set temperature q.sub.(th), a difference ΔTcr between the sensor temperature Tcr and the set temperature q.sub.(th), an air velocity Vair, the thermal energy information Hq.sub.(th) representing the amount of power H supplied to the heating means, a coefficient c 1 expressed in consideration of the clothing thermal resistance Icl, coefficients c 2 to c 6 , and a coefficient n, according to the following equation (b), when the sensor temperature Tcr is higher than the set temperature q.sub.(th) ; supplying the equivalent temperature Teq * to a predicted mean thermal sensitivity calculating section; and calculating predicted mean thermal sensitivity PMV * on the basis of the obtained equivalent temperature Teq * , a humidity RH, an activity amount M et , a skin temperature T sk (T sk =35.7-0.0275×M et ×58.15), the air temperature Ta, an absolute water vapor pressure P(Ta) at the air temperature Ta, the clothing thermal resistance Icl, a thermal resistance effect Fcl (Fcl=E 1 /(E 2 +E 3 ×Icl)) based on coefficients E 1 to E 3 , and coefficients D 1 to D 7 , according to the following equation (c), Teq.sup.* =b.sub.1 +b.sub.2 ×θ.sub.(th) +b.sub.3 ×Ta-b.sub.4 ×Hθ.sub.(th) (a) Teq.sup.* =c.sub.1 +c.sub.2 ×θ.sub.(th) +c.sub.3 ×Ta+c.sub.4 ×(1+c.sub.5 +Vair.sup.n)×ΔTcr-c.sub.6 ×Hθ.sub.(th) (b) PMV.sup.* =a×LOAD.sup.* (c) where ##EQU20## a=0.303×EXP(-0.036'M et ×58.15)+0.028; and E 1 =8.976, E 2 =1, and E 3 =1.466; and if M et <1.0, then LOAD.sup.* =D.sub.1 +D.sub.2 ×M.sub.et -D.sub.3 ×T.sub.sk +D.sub.4 ×M.sub.et ×Ta+(D.sub.5 +D.sub.6 ×M.sub.et)×RH×P(Ta)-Fcl×(T.sub.sk -Teq.sup.*), where D1=10.2895,D2=49.5152,D3=0.7808, D4-0.08142,D5=0.004067, D6=0.00133338 and D7=24.423; and if Met≧1.0, then LOAD.sup.* =D.sub.1 +D.sub.2 ×M.sub.35 -D.sub.3 ×T.sub.sk +D.sub.4 ×M.sub.et ×Ta+(D.sub.5 +D.sub.6 ×M.sub.et)×RH×P(Ta)-D.sub.7 ×(M.sub.et -1)-Fcl×(T.sub.sk -Teq.sup.*), where D1=10.2895, D2=49.5152, D3=0.7808, D4=0.08142, D5=0.004067, D6=0.00133338 and D7=24.423.