Passive control of the bed micro-environment by using naturally ventilated mattress

International Centre for Indoor Environment and Energy, Department of Civil Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark

^* Corresponding author: akm@byg.dtu.dk

Abstract

Proper sleep is of a big importance considering that people spend one third of their lives sleeping. Thermal conditions and indoor air quality have an impact on sleep and thus must be optimized and controlled to enhance sleep quality. However, changing the thermal environment in the whole bedroom is not efficient, because of unnecessary use of energy and slow response of the HVAC system. Control of the bed microclimate is a quick and efficient way to obtain optimal conditions. Passive methods of control may, in a simple and inexpensive way, create comfortable and beneficial conditions for sleep. The performance of a porous mattress from highly-breathable material was investigated to validate the hypothesis that the natural ventilation it generates improves thermal and humidity conditions in bed. A simple method using a wet cloth was used to simulate sweating on the surface of a thermal manikin resembling a person in bed. The results showed promising effect of the breathable material on improving thermal and humidity conditions in bed, especially when it was used without textile cover. However, the mattress together with its original textile cover did not provide any significant ventilation effect, neither on humidity conditions in the bed, nor on cooling of the manikin’s body.