Thermal comfort and local discomfort in an operating room ventilated with spiral diffuser jet

Operating rooms often exhibit vertical temperature gradient, radiant asymmetry, local airflows, and local body cooling. The impact of these parameters on the thermal comfort of the occupants can be greatly affected by the type of air-conditioning system used in the room. This work evaluated thermal comfort conditions in an operating room ventilated with a spiral diffuser jet using an instrumented thermal manikin with heated sensors. The objective is to assess the conditions of thermal comfort and local discomfort of the patient and surgical team in this kind of environment using the concept of equivalent temperatures and a manikin with heated sensors. Additionally, the method proposed by Fanger was used to evaluate the thermal sensation. The results showed a very small change in the equivalent temperatures in different parts of the body for the surgeon and nurse. The thermal sensation for the surgeon and nurse simulated by the manikin and using a thermal comfort diagram for equivalent temperature was neut...