Thermal environment and thermal comfort in metro systems: A case study in severe cold region of China
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-1-2023
Abstract
The urban rail transit in China has been booming, and improving the comfort of the riding environment is critical to ensuring its long-term development. However, few studies have investigated thermal comfort in metro systems in severe cold regions; moreover, there is a lack of data to support metro-related specifications. This study adopts a whole-process thermal comfort tracking method for investigating passengers' thermal responses and moni-toring thermal environment during entering, riding, and leaving metro stations. Field studies are carried out in summer of 2018 and 2019 on two metro lines in Changchun, a typical city in severe cold regions of China. A total of 717 valid samples are obtained. The results show that thermal environment in metro systems is non-constant in spatial dimension. The overall thermal sensation in metro systems is slightly cool, and there is little cooling need in carriages, which can potentially save energy. The thermal comfort zone is obtained based on the acceptable temperature and humidity ranges for 80% of passengers. The comfort zone satisfies the Chinese code, and except for the platform is approximately 0.8-1.6 degrees C wider than that specified in ASHRAE 55-2017. Despite high humidity levels (up to 86.2%) in metro system, passengers feel comfortable at temperatures up to 24.7 degrees C. Meanwhile, the thermal comfort zone does not fall exactly within the air velocity range specified by ASHRAE 55-2017. This research provides valuable references for improving comfort specifications and environmental control in metro systems in severe cold regions.
Keywords
Severe cold region, Metro system, Thermal comfort, TSV (Thermal sensation vote), TCV (Thermal comfort vote)
Divisions
mechanical
Funders
None
Publication Title
Building and Environment
Volume
227
Issue
1
Publisher
Pergamon-Elsevier Science Ltd
Publisher Location
THE BOULEVARD, LANGFORD LANE, KIDLINGTON, OXFORD OX5 1GB, ENGLAND