Optimization of Room Air Temperature in Stratum-Ventilated Rooms for Thermal Comfort and Energy Saving

Combining elevated room air temperature with increased room air velocity is commonly used to achieve thermal comfort and energy efficiency. However, excessively high room air temperatures negatively impact the energy performance of air conditioning systems by increasing the energy consumption of ventilation fans. Existing models for evaluating thermal comfort in the field of building energy performance often do not accurately account for elevated room air velocity, as most building simulation tools and management systems lack precise information on this parameter. This chapter introduces a method to optimize room air temperature to obtain desired thermal conditions and minimize energy consumption in air conditioning systems for stratum ventilation. Firstly, the Predicted Mean Vote (PMV) model is modified to include room air temperature and supply airflow rate. Secondly, a specific supply airflow rate is determined for each room air temperature to achieve the desired thermal condition by utilizing the modified PMV, and the room air temperature is optimized to minimize energy consumption. The case study results indicate that the energy consumption of the air conditioning system can be reduced by 7.8% while maintaining the intended thermal comfort conditions.