Introducing a new index for evaluating thermal sensation based on the principles of non-Fourier heat transfer

In recent years, the modeling of human thermal sensation based on thermoreceptors response has attracted the attention of many researchers. However, the biological tissues does not usually follow the principles of Fourier heat transfer. So, the present research aims to develop a new predictive index for a thermal comfort model based on cutaneous thermoreceptors achieved by using non-Fourier heat transfer in biological tissue. The mentioned index is in conformity with the ASHRAE standard thermal sensation scale. The present model considers the concept of non-Fourier heat transfer to describe heat transfer in biological tissue. Since biological tissues consist of complicated and nonhomogeneous structure, it is important to describe the process of heat transfer in these tissues by non-Fourier heat transfer equation. The new index has been verified by extensive comparisons with the experimental and analytical results under steady-state and transient conditions where a good agreement was found. Results show that the new index can predict the thermal sensation with mean absolute errors of 0.32 and 0.49 under steady-state and transient conditions, respectively.