CH-24-C086 - Methodology to Evaluate the Local Thermal Discomfort Parameters using CFD Simulations in Compliance with ASHRAE Standard 55

This paper presents Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) methodology for evaluating and analyzing Local Thermal Discomfort (LTD) parameters i.e., vertical air temperature difference, radiant temperature asymmetry, floor surface temperature, and draft. The accurate assessment of these parameters is essential in ensuring compliance with ASHRAE Standard 55 for thermal comfort along with the predictive mean vote (PMV). Which will be also included in the study. The CFD-based approach offers several advantages over the experimental. Designs can be evaluated before installation and allow the exploration of various design scenarios. The proposed CFD methodology combines numerical simulations and measurement techniques. The CFD practices for the numerical simulations will be validated with the benchmarking studies. By simulating airflow and thermal conditions, the methodology enables a detailed analysis of thermal conditions around the occupants and facilitates the extraction of local discomfort parameters. Moreover, the methodology can assist in the identification of non-compliant occupant positions in relation to ASHRAE 55 standards. Generating spatial distribution maps of discomfort indices allows for pinpointing potential hotspots, aiding in the optimization of HVAC systems and thermal comfort enhancements. The simulations will be conducted using Autonomous HVAC CFD application, which leverages the OpenFOAM solver and power of cloud computing infrastructure for reducing the time for the simulations.