Thermal Sensation Study of Wooden Desktop Based on COMSOL Multiphysics

Abstract

The choice of furniture materials has a direct impact on thermal comfort, especially during prolonged contact. In this study, the COMSOL Multiphysics software was utilized to simulate the process of heat transfer from the human body, treated as a constant heat source, to the wood desktop material at a specific room temperature. By carefully adjusting various physical parameters, the specific effects of each factor on the change in contact temperature were thoroughly examined. Simultaneously, human body method experiments were conducted as a control to verify the simulation’s accuracy against real-world conditions. Additionally, a systematic analysis was performed to explore the influence of various physical parameters, such as density, specific heat capacity, thermal conductivity, thickness, and decorative layer treatment, on temperature sensation. The primary objective was to address the existing challenge of achieving thermal comfort in wooden furniture design . The results suggest that the density, specific heat capacity, thermal conductivity, thickness, and room temperature of the wood tabletop material significantly affect the contact temperature. Applying coatings or veneers to the wooden tabletop can also influence the variation in contact temperature.