Reduced heat stress in offices in the tropics using solar powered drying of the supply air

Many solutions to indoor climate problems known from developed countries may have prohibitive installation and running costs in developing countries. The purpose was to develop a low-cost solution to heat stress in a hot and humid environment based on solar powered drying of supply air. Dry supply air may facilitate personal cooling by increased evaporation of sweat. Heat acclimatized people with efficient sweating may in particular benefit from this cooling. A prototype solar powered supply system for dried-only air was made. Air from the system was mixed with room air, heated to six different combinations of temperature and humidity and led to Personal Units for Ventilation and Cooling (PUVAC) in six cubicles simulating office workplaces. A total of 123 heat acclimatized subjects were exposed 45 min in each of the cubicles. A model for the combined effect of operative temperature of room, moisture content of room air, temperature of supply air and moisture content of supply air was developed based on the experiments. Reduction of moisture content in the supply air by 1.6 g/kg had the same effect as lowering the operative temperature by 1 degree C. The solar-powered system for supplying dry air is a low-cost alternative to traditional air conditioning in hot and humid regions.