Air movement acceptability of a wearable ventilation for reducing pollutant exposure

• Published in: Building and environment Vol. 270; p. 112518
• Main Authors: Wei, Xiaobin, Xu, Yukun, Wang, Ziyan, Hu, Yiqun, Niu, Guozhen, Wang, Hetang, Gao, Jun
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 15.02.2025
• Subjects: Air movement acceptability; Eye dryness; Perceived air quality; Thermal acceptability; Wearable ventilation; Perceived air quality; Thermal acceptability; Air movement acceptability; Eye dryness; Wearable ventilation
• ISSN: 0360-1323
• DOI: 10.1016/j.buildenv.2024.112518

•Various perceptions for the airflow of a wearable ventilation are investigated.•Acceptable air velocities of HAS for majority of subjects is determined.•Airflow-induced symptoms and its acceptability are clarified.•Correlates of air movement acceptability are discussed. Wearable ventilation reduces pollutant exposure by increasing the air supply, while wearers should have an upper acceptable limit for the air supply velocity. This paper investigated the air movement acceptability of a head-mounted air supply (HAS) in detail by administering questionnaires involving perceived air quality, thermal sensation, air movement acceptability, and airflow-induced symptoms to 16 subjects in three thermal environments and at five air supply velocities. Results showed that increasing the air supply velocity of HAS in neutral and hot environments (26-32°C) improved perceived air quality. Increasing air velocity in hot environments improved thermal acceptability, while in neutral environments led to a decrease. The preferred HAS velocities for subjects in three thermal cases were 1.2 m/s (32°C), 0 m/s (26°C), and 0.5 m/s (32°C for environment, 26°C for HAS), with air movement acceptability gradually decreasing as HAS exceeded the preferred velocity. The majority of subjects (more than 80%) indicated that acceptable air velocities for HAS should not exceed 1.0-1.6 m/s (for 26-32°C). The discussion considered that the judgment on air movement acceptability was mainly related to thermal acceptability and eye dryness acceptability. Further measurements of the effect of HAS airflow on blink frequency confirmed the correlation between eye dryness and air movement acceptability. This work can provide a valuable reference for the development of wearable ventilation.