What is the Thermophysiological Occupant Model?

The thermophysiological regulation of the human body can be seen as a regulatory circuit consisting of a passive and an active system.

The thermophysiological occupant model is a one-dimensional code that models the influence of ambient conditions in a passenger cabin on the thermal condition of an occupant. This model comprises the passive and the active system. The passive system describes the internal and external heat transfer mechanisms of the human body. The active system describes the thermophysiological regulation of the human body. The model accounts for the influence of clothing and contact areas--such as contact with the seats.

Due to the temperature difference, the human body transfers heat between the skin and the environment. Further, there are internal heat transfer processes resulting from the inhomogeneous temperature distribution within the human body. Under normal conditions, a human releases heat to the environment. In equilibrium, the heat release equals the heat production of the body.

Endotherms use thermophysiological regulation to keep their bodies in a state of thermal equilibrium, regardless of the surrounding environment.