Selection of Appropriate Criteria for Optimization of Ventilation Element for Protective Clothing Using a Numerical Approach

Abstract

While there are multiple methods to ventilate protective clothing, there is still room for improvement. In our research, we are using ventilation elements that are positioned at the ventilation holes in the air space between the body and clothing. These ventilation elements allow air to flow freely while preventing sun radiation, rain drops, and insects from directly accessing the body. Therefore, the shape of the ventilation element is crucial. This led us to study the shape optimization of ventilation elements through the utilization of metamodels and numerical approaches. In order to accomplish the objective, it is crucial to thoroughly evaluate and choose suitable criteria for the optimization process. We know from prior research that the toroidal cut-out shape element provides better results. In a previous study, we optimized the shape of this element based on the minimum pressure difference as a criterion. In this study, we are using different criteria for the shape optimization of ventilation elements to determine which are most effective. This study involves a metamodeling strategy that utilizes local and global approximations with different order polynomials, as well as Kriging approximations, for the purpose of optimizing the geometry of ventilation elements. The goal was achieved by a sequential process. (1) Planning the position of control points of Non-Uniform Rational B-Splines (NURBS) in order to generate elements with a smooth shape. (2) Constructing geometric CAD models based on the design of experiments. (3) Compute detailed model solutions using SolidWorks Flow Simulation. (4) Developing metamodels for responses using computer experiments. (5) Optimization of element shape using metamodels. The procedure is repeated for six criteria, and subsequently, the results are compared to determine the most efficient criteria for optimizing the design of the ventilation element.