Farnham, C; Emura, K and Mizuno, T (2015) Evaluation of cooling effects: Outdoor water mist fan. Building Research & Information, 43(3), pp. 334-345. ISSN 0961-3218
Abstract
Evaporative spray cooling systems can be used to provide thermal relief on hot days, even in a subtropical climate such as in Japan. An experiment combining a water mist spray with a fan was conducted to cool an outdoor space and ascertain the comfort of 141 participants on hot summer days. Each participant was surveyed for 'thermal sensation', 'general comfort' and 'feeling of wettedness' and skin temperature was measured before and after entering a mist. To characterize more directly the cooling effect of this particular mist system, a dry silicone rubber skin analogue including embedded heat flux sensors was heated to near-body temperature to measure the near-surface heat flux due to natural convection, forced convection by the fan alone, and the fan and mist together. It was found that the cooling effect of the mist and fan combination is highly efficient and easily exceeds the thermal load of pedestrians, yielding nearly instant decreases in skin temperature. Such outdoor technology has potential to reduce heat stress and discomfort, particularly at large outdoor events and festivals. It could also reduce the required cooling loads within individual buildings by providing inhabitants with thermal relief outdoors.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | alternative technology; evaporative cooling; fan cooling; heat flux; heat stress; thermal comfort; water mist |
| Index terms: | pedestrian, heat stress, mist, thermal comfort, comfort, evaporative cooling, summer, cooling system, experiment, natural convection, discomfort, body temperature, thermal sensation, Japan, alternative technology, skin temperature |
| Subjects: | data collection methods, mechanical systems, climate science, environmental science, health monitoring assessment and metrics, health risk and incident analysis, factor and component analysis, Geography, occupational health and safety management, building performance, sociology, environmental health, environmental engineering, thermal systems |
| Topics: | Design Practice, Engineering Principles, Research Practice, Geographical Context, Health and Safety, Sustainability, Stakeholder Management |
| Descriptive scope: | 3 PCE |
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