Thermal comfort analysis of intelligent cabin seat ventilation and heating considering heat transfer between human and seat

Abstract

Based on the development of intelligent control system for automotive cabin thermal comfort, this paper uses CFD simulation analysis to explore the effects of seat heating and seat ventilation functions on occupant cabin thermal environment and occupant thermal comfort under extreme cold in winter and extreme hot in summer, respectively, and establishes a occupant cabin thermal comfort simulation method considering heat transfer between human and seat. Aiming at the thermal comfort of the passenger and seat contact area, an innovative global thermal comfort evaluation index Coverall based on the improvement of PMV-PPD was proposed, and the impact of seat heating and seat ventilation on occupant thermal comfort was measured using this evaluation index. It was found that when the seat heating is turned on in winter, the Coverall index increases from "-0.99″ to "-0.47"; When seat ventilation is turned on in summer, the Coverall index decreases from “0.71″ to “0.36". Seat heating and seat ventilation have obvious effects in improving the local thermal comfort and global thermal comfort of the body and seat contact parts. This paper makes a beneficial exploration for the early simulation development of the intelligent cockpit development process, and provides certain reference value.