Author(s)

Yuki Arinami¹, Shin-Ichi Akabayashi¹, Kunio Mizutani², Jun Sakaguchi³

¹Graduate School of Science and Technology, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan.
²Department of Architecture, Tokyo Polytechnic University, Tokyo, Japan.
³Department of International Studies and Regional Development, Faculty of International Studies and Regional Development, University of Niigata Prefecture, Niigata, Japan.

The human body is a heat source in a room. As the human body has a complex shape, it is difficult to accurately measure the airflow distribution around the human body using a conventional anemometer. This study measured the airflow distribution around a thermal manikin acting as a human body by visualization and particle image velocimetry (PIV). The thermal manikin was 1700 mm in height, and its surface temperature was set to 30^oC. The experiments were performed in the conditions when the manikin was seated on a chair. The ambient air temperature and wind velocity were experimental variables. The airflow distribution around the manikin was reported by considering the relationships between convection and ambient wind velocity. There were no differences in the airflow distribution around the manikin due to the ambient air temperature when the wind velocity in the chamber was set as 1.0 m/s. Hence, it was assumed that the ambient wind velocity was dominant in this condition. Various airflow distributions were formed around the manikin due to the difference between the body surface temperature and the ambient air temperature in the case where the wind velocity in the chamber was set to approximately equal to 0.0 m/s.

Thermal Manikin, Heat Convection, Airflow Distribution, Particle Image Velocimetry, Natural Convection

Arinami, Y. , Akabayashi, S. , Mizutani, K. and Sakaguchi, J. (2017) Airflow Distribution Measurements around the Human Body Using a Thermal Manikin by Particle Image Velocimetry. Journal of Flow Control, Measurement & Visualization, 5, 65-72. doi: 10.4236/jfcmv.2017.53005.