An experimental validation of mathematical simulation of human thermoregulation

Abstract

An experimental validation of Stolwijk's mathematical model of thermoregulation is presented. Although the model seems to be accepted widely, very little experimental data for validation exists in the open literature. Experimental data for transient conditions of rectal, head skin, trunk skin, arm skin, leg skin, mean skin and mean body temperature as well as cardiac output and evaporative heat loss under heat stress are presented and compared with simulation output for the model. In general, the predictions of the model are good; the difference between experimental data and the model averaged 0.2 degree C for mean body temperature. A version of Stolwijk's thermoregulatory model is described briefly. The controller equations are given as well as a short discussion of the rationale for each. Tables give coefficients for the controller equations, and, for the 25 compartments, heat capacitance, thermal conductance, basal metabolic heat production, basal evaporative heat loss, and basal effective blood flow.