Characterization and Modeling of Thermal Protective and Thermo-Physiological Comfort Performance of Polymeric Textile Materials—A Review

Mandal, Sumit; Mazumder, Nur‐Us‐Shafa; Agnew, Robert J.; Song, Guowen; Li, Rui

doi:10.3390/ma14092397

Cited by 18 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 80 publications

(179 reference statements)

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“…The results of the regression analyses showed that a larger air gap, especially at the level of the abdomen and upper arm, is related to an increase in exposure duration and a decrease in skin temperature change over time at a radiation intensity of 1.5 and 2.0 kW/m 2 . This is in line with the hypothesis of this study, that an increase in air gap thickness is related to an increase in the thermal protective performance of process operators’ clothing and confirms multiple other studies related to the air gap and clothing fit [ 8 , 12 , 14 , 42 , 43 ]. At the radiation intensity of 2.5 kW/m 2 , only the air gap at the upper arm seems to be an indicator of the mean skin temperature change over time of the whole body.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

The Protective Performance of Process Operators’ Protective Clothing and Exposure Limits under Low Thermal Radiation Conditions

Heus¹,

Kingma

Berlo

et al. 2022

Biology

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During the early stage of a fire, a process operator often acts as the first responder and may be exposed to high heat radiation levels. The present limit values of long- (>15 min) and short-term exposure (<5 min), 1.0 and 1.5 kW/m2, respectively, have been set using physiological models and manikin measurements. Since human validation is essentially lacking, this study investigated whether operators’ protective clothing offers sufficient protection during a short-term deployment. Twelve professional firefighters were exposed to three radiation levels (1.5, 2.0, and 2.5 kW/m2) when wearing certified protective clothing in front of a heat radiation panel in a climatic chamber (20 °C; 50% RH). The participants wore only briefs (male) or panties and a bra (female) and a T-shirt under the operators’ clothing. Skin temperatures were continuously measured at the chest, belly, forearm, thigh, and knee. The test persons had to stop if any skin temperature reached 43 °C, at their own request, or when 5 min of exposure was reached. The experiments showed that people in operators’ clothing can be safely exposed for 5 min to 1.5 kW/m2, up to 3 min to 2.0 kW/m2, and exposure to 2.5 kW/m2 or above must be avoided unless the clothing can maintain an air gap.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

The Protective Performance of Process Operators’ Protective Clothing and Exposure Limits under Low Thermal Radiation Conditions

Heus¹,

Kingma

Berlo

et al. 2022

Biology

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“…It should be noted that in the close vicinity to a regular flare or an unintentionally ignited cold flare, the radiative heat flux levels are much higher than the values analyzed in the present study. However, inside the industrial site perimeter, the zone closest to such equipment is generally considered a sterile zone with very infrequent work, and the workers are generally equipped with clothing that protects against much higher heat fluxes [36,37]. Thus, exposure to very high heat fluxes that may generate deeper burns, e.g., deep partial-thickness burns [38], is outside the current study, which focused on low heat radiation levels.…”

Section: Skin Damage Modelingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Analysis of Expected Skin Burns from Accepted Process Flare Heat Radiation Levels to Public Passersby

Log

2021

Energies

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Hot flaring, even from quite high flare stacks, may result in significant heat radiation outside a facility to, e.g., public roads where random passersby may be exposed. The present study suggests a novel method for analyzing a typical flare heat radiation exposure and investigates skin burns that may be inflicted on an exposed person if a facility needs to depressurize in an emergency situation. A typical radiation field from an ignited natural gas vent was taken as the boundary condition, and these values were compared to radiation levels mentioned by the American Petroleum Institute (API 521), e.g., 1.58 kW/m2 and above. Due to facility perimeter fences along roads in larger industry areas, it was assumed that an exposed person may flee along a road rather than in the ideal direction away from the flare. It was assumed that naked skin, e.g., a bare shoulder or a bald head is exposed. The Pennes bioheat equation was numerically solved for the skin layers while the person escapes along the road. Sun radiation and convective heat exchange to the ambient air were included, and the subsequent skin injury was calculated based on the temperature development in the basal layer. Parameters affecting burn severity, such as heat radiation, solar radiation, and convective heat transfer coefficient, were analyzed. For small flares and ignited small cold vents, no skin burn would be expected for 1.58 kW/m2 or 3.16 kW/m2 maximum heat radiation at the skin surface. However, higher flare rates corresponding to, e.g., 4.0 kW/m2 maximum flare heat radiation to the skin, resulted both in higher basal layer temperatures and longer exposure time, thus increasing the damage integral significantly. It is demonstrated that the novel approach works well. In future studies, it may, e.g., be extended to cover escape through partly shielded escape routes.

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“…Therefore, the loss of tensile strength was considerably lower than dry and single layer moist conditions. The presence of moisture in the thermal liner could increase the heat capacity of the fabrics, which resulted in a significant amount of thermal energy storage within the fabric system [6,59,63,64].…”

Section: Effect Of Moisture and Radiant Heat On Tensile Strength Of O...mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In total, 48 firefighters died while on duty in the U.S. in 2019 [4]. Improved protective clothing can minimize the risk of injuries to firefighters [5,6].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Characterizing the Tensile Strength of the Fabrics Used in Firefighters’ Bunker Gear under Radiant Heat Exposure

et al. 2022

Self Cite

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More than 60,000 firefighters’ injuries were reported by the National Fire Protection Association in the U.S. in 2019. Inadequate protection by bunker gear could be a reason for most of the injuries. Firefighters repeatedly encounter thermal hazards due to their job responsibilities. Degradation could occur on bunker gear fabric during thermal exposure. It has been found that the presence of moisture affects performance as well, which may come from wearers’ sweat. Proper evaluation of the tensile strength of the fabrics used in bunker gear could provide information essential for maintenance the overall integrity of the gear. An evaluation of the tensile strength of fabrics when exposed to 10, 15, and 20 kW/m2 radiant heat flux in the presence of moisture is reported. In each fabric system, a total of sixty-four different samples were prepared for four different types of fabric and four levels of moisture which were exposed to three different radiant heat flux for five minutes. Heat flux and moisture levels have significant impact on tensile strength. The effect of moisture on tensile strength in a three-layered fabric system is higher than that for a single layer fabric. An understanding of the impact of heat and moisture on fabric strength has been achieved.

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Characterization and Modeling of Thermal Protective and Thermo-Physiological Comfort Performance of Polymeric Textile Materials—A Review

Cited by 18 publications

References 80 publications

The Protective Performance of Process Operators’ Protective Clothing and Exposure Limits under Low Thermal Radiation Conditions

The Protective Performance of Process Operators’ Protective Clothing and Exposure Limits under Low Thermal Radiation Conditions

Analysis of Expected Skin Burns from Accepted Process Flare Heat Radiation Levels to Public Passersby

Characterizing the Tensile Strength of the Fabrics Used in Firefighters’ Bunker Gear under Radiant Heat Exposure

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