Examination of thermal comfort by fanger's method

Thermal comfort can be described as feeling comfortable in an environment interms of thermal conditions. Paremeters affecting the thermal comfort areactually; air temperature, mean radiant temperature, relative humidity, relativevelocity, activity level and thermal resistance of the clothes. Meanwhile, theIndoor Thermal Comfort can be determined by measuring severalenvironmental parameters and their evaluation in conformity with scientificmethods. At this study, the thermal comfort is investigated by applying FangerMethod, in two drawing rooms and a classroom located at the second floor ofGazi University Faculty of Architecture & Engineering Building, where theclassroom number is 222 and drawing room numbers are 201 and 203. Thermalequations given for Fanger?s method which describes the heat flow betweenhuman body and environment are used. In addition, the ampirical relationsbetween thermal comfort and physiological control mechanisms which expressthe effects of the heat transfer between human body and environment are takeninto account. During experimental studies, air temperature, mean radianttemperature, relative humidity and relative velocity are measured fordetermined cells at three different height levels. By writing a software inFortran language, the values of predicted mean vote (PMV) and predictedpercentage of dissatisfied (PPD) are calculated and compared by the standardvalues. Equivalent-PMV curves are drawed by using calculated PMV values.According to the results obtained, it has been seen that more homogeneousdistribution of heating radiators will create more thermally similar areas whichmeans better thermal comfort. Furthermore, since the classroom (room no 222)is situated on the south side of the building, the sunshine penetrates directly intothe classroom and causes poor thermal comfort. Therefore, a system should beput into practice to prevent direct penetration of the sunshine in this classrom,it is highly recommended.