Thermal comfort in a ship cabin

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine the thermal comfort in the cabin environment of a ship. A mock-up cabin was built in the Turku University of Applied Sciences’ (TUAS, Finland) HVAC laboratory. The indoor condition was planned and implemented based on the design values found in the standard: the supply airflow rate was Q=21 l/s, the room temperature was T=22 °C. Three clothing ensembles, and two activity levels were used in thermal manikin measurements. The predicted mean vote, predicted percentage of dissatisfied, and the equivalent temperature were measured. This study highlights the importance of clothing ensemble, activity level and heat load from the external wall on thermal comfort. The results can be used in the planning and development of the thermal environment in a cabin, and other hotel environments with a warm external wall.