"Tests of structural solutions of materials for ""smart"" protective clothing with variable thermal insulation"

Project manager: Agnieszka Kurczewska Ph.D.

Project summary:

"The basic aim of this research project consisted in developing a model of protective clothing for work in a cold environment, which would actively react to changes in temperature by changing its thermal insulation, thus providing the user with thermal comfort. Workstations were surveyed with attention paid to different ranges of temperature, the kinds of work, and the time and frequency of exposure to the cold.Sets of passive materials and 2 groups of heating inserts were designed and produced for clothing: heating inserts with steel yarn; heating inserts with steel wire. A test stand for testing thermal resistance of ""active"" materials and sets of passive materials was designed and produced.The arrangements of materials that were developed were used to construct a model of ""active"" clothing with variable thermal insulation. An electronic controller was designed and produced. It takes simple decisions and it controls heating materials depending on changes in the user's skin temperature and in the temperature in the environment.The study resulted in the development and construction of a model of protective clothing for work in a cold environment, which changes its thermal resistance as a reaction to changes in environmental conditions and in the user's skin temperature."

Unit: Department of Personal Protective Equipment

Duration: 01.03.2002 – 30.11.2004