Occupant acceptability of eight-hour-long temperature ramps in the summer at low and high humidities
Previous studies have shown that slow rates of temperature change (0.5/sup 0/C/h) from optimal comfort conditions are almost undetectable by occupants from traditional constant temperature conditions. In our previous 4-hr-long tests thermal acceptability remained above 80% when temperature deviations from optimum were 2/sup 0/C or less. Allowing the inside temperature of a building to drift with outside conditions and internal loads has important energy saving and load shifting implications for both new and old buildings, provided the environment remains thermally acceptable to the building's occupants. Occupant responses to temperature drifts during an 8 1/2-hr working day are reported. Since the energy and cost savings potential of temperature drifting appears to be largest during the summer, clothing and drift conditions appropriate for this season were chosen for these tests. Experiments were conducted where the temperature rose slowly throughout the day from a cool initial condition. Using a similar strategy, a building could be cooled at night with outside air and refrigeration when the air is cooler and when electrical demand and rates are lower and COP's are higher. Then during the day, the building's temperature could be allowed to drift upward with reduced refrigeration or without refrigeration. Many variations of this theme are possible such as using stored chilled, water, increased building mass, and/or a temperature ramp control system.
- Research Organization:
- Yale Univ., New Haven, CT
- OSTI ID:
- 6049392
- Journal Information:
- ASHRAE J.; (United States), Vol. 84:2; Conference: 1978 annual meeting of the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, Inc., Albuquerque, NM, USA, 25 Jun 1978
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
AIR CONDITIONERS
ENERGY CONSERVATION
BUILDINGS
AIR CONDITIONING
OCCUPANTS
TEMPERATURE EFFECTS
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
GRAPHS
HUMIDITY
TABLES
TEMPERATURE CONTROL
TEMPERATURE GRADIENTS
APPLIANCES
CONTROL
DATA
DATA FORMS
ELECTRIC APPLIANCES
GAS APPLIANCES
INFORMATION
NUMERICAL DATA
320100* - Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization- Buildings