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Del Ferraro S, Falcone T, Morabito M, Bonafede M, Marinaccio A, Gao C, Molinaro V. Mitigating heat effects in the workplace with a ventilation jacket: Simulations of the whole-body and local human thermophysiological response with a sweating thermal manikin in a warm-dry environment. J Therm Biol 2024; 119:103772. [PMID: 38145612 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2023.103772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 12/27/2023]
Abstract
Climate change is increasingly affecting human well-being and will inevitably impact on occupational sectors in terms of costs, productivity, workers' health and injuries. Among the cooling garment developed to reduce heat strain, the ventilation jacket could be considered for possible use in workplaces, as it is wearable without limiting the user's mobility and autonomy. In this study, simulations with a sweating manikin are carried out to investigate the effects of a short-sleeved ventilation jacket on human thermophysiological responses in a warm-dry scenario. Simulations were performed in a climatic chamber (air temperature = 30.1 °C; air velocity = 0.29 m/s; relative humidity = 30.0 %), considering two constant levels of metabolic rate M (M1 = 2.4 MET; M2 = 3.2 MET), a sequence of these two (Work), and three levels of fan velocities (lf = 0; lf=2; lf=4). The results revealed a more evident impact on the mean skin temperature (Tsk) compared to the rectal temperature (Tre), with significant decreases (compared to fan-off) at all M levels, for Tsk from the beginning and for Tre from the 61st minute. Skin temperatures of the torso zones decreased significantly (compared to fan-off) at all M levels, and a greater drop was registered for the Back. The fans at the highest level (lf=4) were significantly effective in improving whole-body and local thermal sensations when compared to fan-off, at all M levels. At the intermediate level (lf=2), the statistical significance varied with thermal zone, M and time interval considered. The results of the simulations also showed that the Lower Torso needs to be monitored at M2 level, as the drop in skin temperature could lead to local overcooling and thermal discomfort. Simulations showed the potential effectiveness of the ventilation jacket, but human trials are needed to verify its cooling power in real working conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona Del Ferraro
- Laboratory of Ergonomics and Physiology, Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Epidemiology and Hygiene, INAIL, Via Fontana Candida 1, 00078, Monte Porzio Catone, Rome, Italy.
| | - Tiziana Falcone
- Laboratory of Ergonomics and Physiology, Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Epidemiology and Hygiene, INAIL, Via Fontana Candida 1, 00078, Monte Porzio Catone, Rome, Italy.
| | - Marco Morabito
- Institute of BioEconomy (IBE), National Research Council, Via Madonna Del Piano 10, 50019, Sesto Fiorentino, FI, Italy; Centre of Bioclimatology, University of Florence, Piazzale Delle Cascine 18, 50144, Florence, Italy.
| | - Michela Bonafede
- Laboratory of Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology, Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Epidemiology and Hygiene, INAIL, Via Stefano Gradi 55, 00143, Rome, Italy.
| | - Alessandro Marinaccio
- Laboratory of Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology, Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Epidemiology and Hygiene, INAIL, Via Stefano Gradi 55, 00143, Rome, Italy.
| | - Chuansi Gao
- Aerosol and Climate Laboratory, Division of Ergonomics and Aerosol Technology, Department of Design Sciences, Faculty of Engineering, Lund University, Sölvegatan 26, Lund, Sweden.
| | - Vincenzo Molinaro
- Laboratory of Ergonomics and Physiology, Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Epidemiology and Hygiene, INAIL, Via Fontana Candida 1, 00078, Monte Porzio Catone, Rome, Italy.
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Saidi A, Gauvin C, Ladhari S, Nguyen-Tri P. Advanced Functional Materials for Intelligent Thermoregulation in Personal Protective Equipment. Polymers (Basel) 2021; 13:3711. [PMID: 34771268 PMCID: PMC8587695 DOI: 10.3390/polym13213711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2021] [Revised: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The exposure to extreme temperatures in workplaces involves physical hazards for workers. A poorly acclimated worker may have lower performance and vigilance and therefore may be more exposed to accidents and injuries. Due to the incompatibility of the existing standards implemented in some workplaces and the lack of thermoregulation in many types of protective equipment that are commonly fabricated using various types of polymeric materials, thermal stress remains one of the most frequent physical hazards in many work sectors. However, many of these problems can be overcome with the use of smart textile technologies that enable intelligent thermoregulation in personal protective equipment. Being based on conductive and functional polymeric materials, smart textiles can detect many external stimuli and react to them. Interconnected sensors and actuators that interact and react to existing risks can provide the wearer with increased safety, protection, and comfort. Thus, the skills of smart protective equipment can contribute to the reduction of errors and the number and severity of accidents in the workplace and thus promote improved performance, efficiency, and productivity. This review provides an overview and opinions of authors on the current state of knowledge on these types of technologies by reviewing and discussing the state of the art of commercially available systems and the advances made in previous research works.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alireza Saidi
- Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Physics, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières (UQTR), 3351 Boulevard des Forges, Trois-Rivières, QC G8Z 4M3, Canada
- Laboratory of Advanced Materials for Energy and Environment, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières (UQTR), 3351 Boulevard des Forges, Trois-Rivières, QC G8Z 4M3, Canada;
- Institut de Recherche Robert-Sauvé en Santé et en Sécurité du Travail (IRSST), 505 Boulevard de Maisonneuve Ouest, Montréal, QC H3A 3C2, Canada;
| | - Chantal Gauvin
- Institut de Recherche Robert-Sauvé en Santé et en Sécurité du Travail (IRSST), 505 Boulevard de Maisonneuve Ouest, Montréal, QC H3A 3C2, Canada;
| | - Safa Ladhari
- Laboratory of Advanced Materials for Energy and Environment, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières (UQTR), 3351 Boulevard des Forges, Trois-Rivières, QC G8Z 4M3, Canada;
| | - Phuong Nguyen-Tri
- Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Physics, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières (UQTR), 3351 Boulevard des Forges, Trois-Rivières, QC G8Z 4M3, Canada
- Laboratory of Advanced Materials for Energy and Environment, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières (UQTR), 3351 Boulevard des Forges, Trois-Rivières, QC G8Z 4M3, Canada;
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Elson J, Eckels S. Contribution of wetted clothing to body energy exchange and heat stress. J Therm Biol 2018; 78:343-351. [PMID: 30509656 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2018.09.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2017] [Revised: 09/19/2018] [Accepted: 09/19/2018] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Quantifying the impact of clothing thermal and evaporation resistance is essential to providing representative boundary conditions for physiological modeling. In many models, sweat is assumed to drip off the skin surface to the environment and is not captured in clothing. In high metabolic rate and high temperature and humidity conditions the sweat produced by the body has the potential to saturate semipermeable clothing ensembles, changing the assumptions of the model. Workers, athletes and soldiers commonly wear encapsulating versions of such clothing to protect against environmental hazards. A saturated clothing model is proposed based on the ASHRAE two-node model using a saturated spot element in parallel with the existing method to account for sweat absorbed in the clothing. The work uses fundamental heat and mass transfer principles, modifying the existing formula using clothing measurements and basic assumptions. The effectiveness of the model is demonstrated by comparing the predictions of the original and proposed models, to the results of 21 soldiers exercising. The soldiers wore combat pants and shirt, helmet, gloves, shoes, socks, and underwear, and walked in a thermal chamber for 2 h at 42.2 °C dry bulb temperature, 54.4 °C wet bulb temperature, 20% relative humidity, and airspeed of 2 m/s. Core temperature, seven skin temperatures, heart rate, and total sweat loss were measured. The original model provides an average core temperature difference compared with the human subject results of 1.31 °C (SD = 0.557 °C) while the modified model improves the final prediction of core temperature to within an average of 0.15 °C (SD = 0.383 °C). The new model shows an improvement in the prediction of human core temperature under the tested conditions where dripping sweat will saturate clothing. The format can be used in multi-segmented thermal models and can continue to be developed and improved as more information on wetted clothing properties become available.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Elson
- Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, Institute for Environmental Research, Kansas State University, 64 Seaton Hall, Manhattan, KS, 66506, USA.
| | - Steve Eckels
- Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, Institute for Environmental Research, Kansas State University, 64 Seaton Hall, Manhattan, KS, 66506, USA
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Young ME, McCoy AW, Hutson JP, Schlabach M, Eckels S. Hot under the collar: The impact of heat on game play. APPLIED ERGONOMICS 2017; 59:209-214. [PMID: 27890130 DOI: 10.1016/j.apergo.2016.08.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2016] [Revised: 07/19/2016] [Accepted: 08/30/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
High temperatures have been documented to affect behavior in a variety of ways depending on the nature of the task. We extended this prior research by examining the effects of dynamically changing temperature on various aspects of performance in a video game task. In the span of approximately an hour, temperature was gradually increased, stayed constant for a period of time, and gradually decreased to baseline. The gaming task was a variation on one used to assess impulsivity in participants thus allowing the possibility of assessing the effects of temperature on impulsive choice. Rather than heat increasing impulsivity and thus decreasing wait times, participants showed increases in wait times as temperature increased which either suggests that participants were becoming more self-controlled under heat or that the documented negative impact of heat on motor functioning was dominating their performance. Importantly, the participant's sensitivity to the changing task requirements was not affected by changes in temperature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael E Young
- Kansas State University, Department of Psychological Sciences, 492 Bluemont Hall, Manhattan, KS 66506-5302, United States.
| | - Anthony W McCoy
- Kansas State University, Department of Psychological Sciences, 492 Bluemont Hall, Manhattan, KS 66506-5302, United States
| | - John P Hutson
- Kansas State University, Department of Psychological Sciences, 492 Bluemont Hall, Manhattan, KS 66506-5302, United States
| | - Meredith Schlabach
- Kansas State University, Institute for Environmental Research, 64 Seaton Hall, Manhattan, KS 66506, United States
| | - Steven Eckels
- Kansas State University, Institute for Environmental Research, 64 Seaton Hall, Manhattan, KS 66506, United States
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Lu Y, Wei F, Lai D, Shi W, Wang F, Gao C, Song G. A novel personal cooling system (PCS) incorporated with phase change materials (PCMs) and ventilation fans: An investigation on its cooling efficiency. J Therm Biol 2015; 52:137-46. [PMID: 26267508 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2015.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2015] [Revised: 07/02/2015] [Accepted: 07/06/2015] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Personal cooling systems (PCS) have been developed to mitigate the impact of severe heat stress for humans working in hot environments. It is still a great challenge to develop PCSs that are portable, inexpensive, and effective. We studied the performance of a new hybrid PCS incorporating both ventilation fans and phase change materials (PCMs). The cooling efficiency of the newly developed PCS was investigated on a sweating manikin in two hot conditions: hot humid (HH, 34°C, 75% RH) and hot dry (HD, 34°C, 28% RH). Four test scenarios were selected: fans off with no PCMs (i.e., Fan-off, the CONTROL), fans on with no PCMs (i.e., Fan-on), fans off with fully solidified PCMs (i.e., PCM+Fan-off), and fans on with fully solidified PCMs (i.e., PCM+Fan-on). It was found that the addition of PCMs provided a 54∼78min cooling in HH condition. In contrast, the PCMs only offered a 19-39min cooling in HD condition. In both conditions, the ventilation fans greatly enhanced the evaporative heat loss compared with Fan-off. The hybrid PCS (i.e., PCM+Fan-on) provided a continuous cooling effect during the three-hour test and the average cooling rate for the whole body was around 111 and 315W in HH and HD conditions, respectively. Overall, the new hybrid PCS may be an effective means of ameliorating symptoms of heat stress in both hot-humid and hot-dry environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yehu Lu
- Laboratory for Clothing Physiology and Ergonomics (LCPE), The National Engineering Laboratory for Modern Silk, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China; Department of Fashion Design and Engineering, College of Textile and Clothing Engineering, Soochow University, Suzhou 215021, China
| | - Fanru Wei
- Department of Fashion Design and Engineering, College of Textile and Clothing Engineering, Soochow University, Suzhou 215021, China
| | - Dandan Lai
- Department of Fashion Design and Engineering, College of Textile and Clothing Engineering, Soochow University, Suzhou 215021, China
| | - Wen Shi
- Department of Fashion Design and Engineering, College of Textile and Clothing Engineering, Soochow University, Suzhou 215021, China
| | - Faming Wang
- Laboratory for Clothing Physiology and Ergonomics (LCPE), The National Engineering Laboratory for Modern Silk, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China; Department of Fashion Design and Engineering, College of Textile and Clothing Engineering, Soochow University, Suzhou 215021, China.
| | - Chuansi Gao
- Thermal Environment Laboratory, Department of Design Science, Lund University, 22100 Lund, Sweden
| | - Guowen Song
- Department of AESHM, Iowa State University, Ames IA 50011, USA
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