Simulations of Heat Transfer through Multilayer Protective Clothing Exposed to Flame

Abstract

In this paper, the safety and thermal comfort of protective clothing used by firefighters was analyzed. Three-dimensional geometry and morphology models of real multilayer assemblies used in thermal protective clothing were mapped by selected Computer-Aided Design (CAD) software. In the designed assembly models, different scales of the resolution were used for the particular layers – a homogenization for nonwoven fabrics model and designing the geometry of the individual yarns in the model of woven fabrics. Then, the finite volume method to simulate heat transfer through the assemblies caused by their exposure to the flame was applied. Finally, the simulation results with experimental measurements conducted according to the EN ISO 9151 were compared. Based on both the experimental and simulation results, parameters describing the tested clothing protective features directly affecting the firefighter’s safety were determined. As a result of the experiment and simulations, comparable values of these parameters were determined, which could show that used methods are an efficient tool in studying the thermal properties of multilayer protective clothing.

Study of Influence of Atmospheric Conditions on the Thermal Properties of Sleeping Bags

“…Heat transfer simulations inside models of the tested sleeping bags were performed using finite volume method by SolidWorks Flow Simulation software [ 21 ]. The applied method can analyse the following physical phenomena: (1) heat transfer in solids (conduction); (2) free, forced and mixed convection; and (3) radiation both in the steady state and transient state [ 2 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 ]. A fuller description of the physical basis on which the modelling was carried out was demonstrated in an earlier work on modelling of the thermal performance of multilayer protective clothing exposed to radiant heat [ 27 ].…”

Assessment of the Impact of Ionizing Radiation Absorption on the Structural, Mechanical and Biophysical Properties of Textiles Used in Multilayer Space Suit

“…The method allows prediction of fluid flow using equations of energy conservation and equations of Navier–Stokes [ 39 ]. A wider specification of applied computational method has been presented in previous articles on heat and mass transport modeling in textiles [ 37 , 38 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 , 45 ].…”

Assessment of the Impact of the Surface Modification Processes of Cotton and Polyester Fabrics with Various Techniques on Their Structural, Biophysical, Sensory, and Mechanical Properties

“…Research on the utility comfort of clothing focuses primarily on biophysical comfort and sensory comfort because, unlike mental comfort studies, they are based on an objective analysis of measurable clothing parameters determined in accordance with strict standards. The key parameters of clothing that determine the biophysical comfort, such as thermal insulation, thermal resistance, water vapor resistance, and water vapor permeability, are the subject of purely experimental studies [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 ] as well as experimental studies supported by theoretical research based on simulations using geometrical models of real textiles and of physical phenomena occurring inside them [ 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 ].…”