A simplified thermoregulation model of the human body in warm conditions. (March 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Li, Baizhan; Yang, Yu; Yao, Runming; Liu, Hong; Li, Yongqiang
• Is Part Of: Applied ergonomics. Volume 59:Part A(2017)
• Page Start: 387
• Page End: 400
• Publication Date: 2017-03
• Subjects: Thermoregulation model -- Thermal response -- Skin temperature; Human engineering -- Periodicals; 620.82
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apergo.2016.09.010
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0003-6870

Abstract

Abstract: Thermoregulation models of the human body have been widely used in thermal comfort studies. The existing models are complicated and not fully verified for application in China. This paper presents a simplified thermoregulation model which has been statistically validated by the predicted and measured mean skin temperature in warm environments, including 21 typical conditions with 400 Chinese subjects. This model comprises three parts: i) the physical model; ii) the controlled system; and iii) the controlling system, and considers three key questions formerly ignored by the existing models including: a) the evaporation efficiency of regulatory sweat; b) the proportional relation of total skin blood flow and total heat loss by regulatory sweating against body surface area; and c) discrepancies in the mean skin temperatures by gender. The developed model has been validated to be within the 95% confidence interval of the population mean skin temperature in three cases. Highlights: A new simplified thermoregulation model of the human body. Laboratory experimental data used for model verification. Prediction of skin temperature in transient thermal processes.