3D Numerical Investigation of Heat Transfer of Infants in the Indoor Environment

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the heat transfer around the infant surface in the indoor environment based on computational fluid dynamics analysis. A three-dimensional numerical model containing a virtual infant manikin was developed in COMSOL software. The high-quality geometry model of the infant was obtained using three-dimensional body scanning technology. Governing fluid flow and energy equations were solved along with the low Re k–ε turbulence model. Real-scale measurements were carried out to determine the accuracy of the developed numerical model. Good agreement was found between the simulation results and the experimental data. The results showed that, at room temperature of 21oC, the convective heat transfer coefficient was 64.2% greater than the radiative heat transfer coefficient, which demonstrated that the convective heat transfer was the main approach for heat exchange between the infant and its surrounding environment. Moreover, the largest convective heat transfer coefficients were observed at the forearm and calf, indicating the importance of the additional thermal protection at these regions. The findings will be beneficial to provide some instructions on infant thermal care for caregivers.