NCT06584903

Safe Indoor Temperature Limit for Fans

Fan Use During Extreme Heat: Safe Thermal Limits

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 10 (actual)
• Sponsor: Lakehead University · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 19 Years – 39 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

Extreme heat events are a significant global threat to health and wellbeing, and result in more morbidity and mortality than all other natural disasters combined. Thus, a key priority is identifying effective and accessible heat resilience solutions to protect individuals from the potentially fatal consequences of heat stress. Within a range of ambient conditions, a fan has been recognized a low-cost heat resilience solution. However, when ambient temperatures exceed skin temperatures (e.g., above 35°C), a fan will incur greater dry heat gain which may be counterbalanced with evaporation of sweat from the skin surface. However, at a critical indoor temperature, the rate of heat gain will exceed the rate of evaporation resulting in net heat gain. The critical indoor temperature has yet to be determined. The purpose of this present study is to identify the indoor temperature at which a fan results in greater cardiovascular and thermal strain relative to still air in young adults using a simulated heat wave scenario of a warming room.

Conditions

• Heat Exposure
• Healthy
• Young Adults
• Fans

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Temperature Ramp Protocol	Following a 45 minute baseline in 37°C seated on a chair, the indoor temperature in the climate-controlled room increased from 37°C to 47°C at \~0.06°C/min (relative humidity \~26%) over 180 minutes.

Timeline

• Start date: 2024-01-20
• Primary completion: 2024-04-30
• Completion: 2024-04-30
• First posted: 2024-09-05
• Last updated: 2024-09-19

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Canada