Efficacy of a water-cooled garment for auxiliary body cooling in heat.
The efficacy of a water-cooled jacket for auxiliary body cooling was examined under a simulated hot environment. The personal garment comprised of a water re-circulating three-layered vest of cotton fabric lined with 2 mm diameter latex tubing and inter-spaced coating of rubberized solution. Four subjects wearing the water-cooled jacket were tested in the environment chamber (30, 35 and 40 degrees C DB, 50-60% RH, air velocity 0.3, 0.6 and 0.9 m/s, with corresponding average effective temperature of 26 +/- 2.3, 33 +/- 1.1 and 36 +/- 1.5 degrees C). The inlet water temperature was maintained at 10-12 degrees C, with flow rates of 2.6 +/- 0.3, 4.3 +/- 0.3 and 5.1 +/- 0.3 l/h). At 30 degrees C DB, variation in water flow had marginal effect on microclimate, while at higher temperatures (35 and 40 degrees C DB), the re-circulating cooled water had noticeable effects in lowering microclimate, trunk and other skin temperatures, and maintaining the body core within 36.7 +/- 0.2 to 37.5 +/- 0.2 degrees C, over 2 h exposure at 35 and 40 degrees C DB. The observation indicates that the water-cooled jacket provided auxiliary cooling to maintain comfortable microclimate, skin and body core temperatures. This enabled subjects to sustain comfortable heat balance over 2 h heat exposure without any noticeable heat strain.
Nag
P K
PK
Ergonomics Division, National Institute of Occupational Health, Ahmedabad, India.
Pradhan
C K
CK
Nag
A
A
Ashtekar
S P
SP
Desai
H
H
D000328:Adult; D001831:Body Temperature; D003080:Cold Temperature; D006804:Ergonomics; D018882:Heat Stress Disorders / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D007840:Latex; D008297:Male; D011481:Protective Clothing / Q000592:standards*; D013696:Temperature; D014867:Water
D007840:Latex; D014867:Water