Apparent Total Evaporative Resistance for Clothing Ensembles at High Heat Stress Levels

Author

Patrick Rodriguez, University of South FloridaFollow

Graduation Year

2011

Document Type

Thesis

Degree

M.S.P.H.

Degree Granting Department

Public Health

Major Professor

Thomas E. Bernard, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Steven Mlynarek, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Candi D. Ashley, Ph.D.

Keywords

Protective Clothing, Evaporative Cooling, Heat Exchange, Water Vapor Diffusion, Convective Transport

Abstract

Donning protective clothing for mitigation of hazard from chemical agents poses a problem in the form of heat stress. When choosing protective clothing, many factors must be taken into account including insulative properties and evaporative resistance. This study calculated and compared R_e,T,a for three clothing ensembles at levels of heat stress past the level of compensation for heat gain to determine if R_e,T,a values varied or remained the same with changes in heat stress level. A three-way mixed model analysis of variance demonstrated significant differences for estimated R_e,T,a values among ensembles, heat stress levels and interactions among ensembles and heat stress levels (p < 0.0001). A significant interaction between heat stress levels and ensembles was identified (p<0.05). The results of the study indicated that R_e,T,a values are affected by levels of heat stress such that increasing levels were associated with lower values of Re,T,a. The study also helped to illustrate that R_e,T,a values are not a constant associated with clothing, walking speed, and air speed.

Scholar Commons Citation

Rodriguez, Patrick, "Apparent Total Evaporative Resistance for Clothing Ensembles at High Heat Stress Levels" (2011). USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations.
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/etd/3318