The College of Engineering at the University of Baghdad witnessed the discussion of the PhD dissertation of the student Rawan Adnan Fayyad from the Department of Mechanical Engineering / Thermo-Fluids specialization, entitled: “Improving the Indoor Thermal Environment Performance of Relief Tents Using a Mobile Evacuated Tube Solar Collector in Cold Climate”, on Wednesday, 4/3/2026.
The discussion committee was composed of:
- Prof. Dr. Najm Abdul Jasim Rasan — Chairman
- Prof. Dr. Sajida Lafta Ghasheem — Member
- Asst. Prof. Dr. Ali Lafta Kaeed Rashk — Member
- Asst. Prof. Dr. Zina Ali Abdul Ridha — Member
- Asst. Prof. Dr. Sarmad Aziz Abdul Hussein — Member
- Prof. Dr. Issam Mohammed Ali — Member and Supervisor
The dissertation addressed the problem of poor thermal performance in relief tents used as temporary shelters in humanitarian and emergency situations, particularly during the winter season and in cold regions, where such tents often fail to provide a thermally comfortable environment for occupants. From this standpoint, the study investigated the possibility of adopting an effective solar heating system to improve thermal comfort inside these tents.
The study was based on a full-scale relief tent made of lightweight tarpaulin material with low thermal resistance. It proposed a solar heating system based on evacuated tube solar collectors connected to a thermal storage tank and a heat exchanger installed inside the tent to transfer thermal energy to the indoor air. The work also included an experimental aspect using two identical tents, one heated and the other unheated, in addition to a numerical study using SimScale software to simulate heat transfer and air distribution inside the tent.
The results showed that the proposed system contributed to improving the indoor air temperature by 5–9°C, representing an improvement of 25% to 50% compared with the unheated tent. The study also demonstrated a clear improvement in thermal comfort indicators, as PMV values approached thermal neutrality and PPD values decreased significantly, reflecting a higher level of occupant satisfaction with the indoor environment. In addition, the numerical results showed good agreement with the experimental results, with a deviation of only about 5–7%, along with improved air distribution and reduced thermal stratification inside the heated tent.
The dissertation confirmed that the proposed solar heating system represents an effective, sustainable, and energy-efficient solution for improving thermal comfort in relief tents under cold climate conditions, which enhances the potential of employing solar energy in humanitarian and relief applications.
After the scientific discussion by the esteemed members of the discussion committee, the researcher was awarded the grade of Very Good.
