Quantification of Dynamic Ventilation Rates and Assessment of Occupant Thermal Comfort Inside a Naturally Ventilated Hostel Room During Wintertime in North India

Ventilation rates significantly impact indoor thermal comfort and air quality. In this study, a week-long field measurement was conducted in a hostel room with natural ventilation on the academic campus of IIT-Kanpur, India. Indoor air temperature (Ta) and CO2 concentration were monitored continuously in the single-occupant room during wintertime in January 2022. We evaluated the data for dynamic ventilation rates (VRs) and the relationship between air exchange rates (AERs) and thermal comfort inside the room. Considering CO2 released by occupants as a tracer gas, the tracer gas decay method is applied to measure CO2 concentrations for daytime and night-time decay episodes. The dynamic VRs vary from 1 to 19 L/s per person (AER—0.14–2.67 h−1). The daytime VRs were approximately 45% higher than night-time. The predicted thermal conditions in the hostel room (using PPV/PMV model) were uncomfortable for approximately 22% of the total time, mainly during the night and early morning hours. A neutral temperature of 22.7 °C and a comfortable temperature range of 20.6–24.6 °C were determined ( \({T}_{a}\)  = 18.6–24.8 °C). The difference between AERcomfortable (0.14–2.67 h−1) and AERuncomfortable (0.31–2.66 h−1) was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). This suggests that AER is not a prominent factor affecting thermal comfort during winter in the hostel. The high diurnal variation observed in VRs highlights the need for dynamic measurement that reflects the actual dynamic characteristics. Information obtained will help plan interventions and design toward achieving better thermal conditions in the hostel environment.