Physiological Method of Evaluating Protective Clothing for Work in a Cold Environment

The purpose of this study was to determine the usefulness of physiological studies in the evaluation of protective clothing for work in a cold environment. The study included the examination of the dynamics of changes in chosen physiological parameters (core and skin temperatures, heart rate, pulmonary minute ventilation) as well as physical ones (the temperature and relative humidity under the clothes) during work in protective clothing with unknown thermal insulation. The experiment was conducted in extreme environmental conditions (–10 and –15°C) at a work load defined by the clothing manufacturer as moderate. Results show that thermal equilibrium was achieved and maintained throughout the investigated work time (60 min) and that the protective clothing ensures safety on the time scale of a regular 8-hour work day. It was also shown that the dynamics of thermal stress physiological parameters can be used to determine the maximum duration of exposure for cold protective clothing with unknown thermal insulation.     

表面隔油膜对轻质固体灭火剂隔热性能的影响

通过对自行研制的轻质固体灭火剂隔热性能的测试 ,研究了表面隔油膜对隔热性能的影响。发现表面膜的存在在一定程度上降低了灭火剂的隔热性能 ,但一定厚度的灭火剂的隔热性能能满足隔热灭火的需要     

Thermal manikin measurements--exact or not?

According to the European prestandard ENV 342:1998, the thermal insulation of cold-protective clothing is measured with a thermal manikin. Systematic studies on the reproducibility of the values, measured with different types of clothing on the commonly used standing and walking manikins, have not been reported in the literature. Over 300 measurements were done in 8 different European laboratories. The reproducibility of the thermal insulation test results was good. The coefficient of variation was lower than 8%. The measured clothing should fit the manikin precisely, because poorly fitting clothing gave an error in the results. The correlation between parallel and serial insulation values was excellent and parallel values were about 20% lower than serial ones. The influence of ambient conditions was critical only in the case of air velocity. The reproducibility of thermal insulation test results in a single laboratory was good, and the variation was lower than 3%.     

Effect of Sweating on Insulation of Footwear

The study aimed to find out the influence of sweating on footwear insulation with a thermal foot model. Simultaneously, the influence of applied weight (35 kg), sock, and steel toe cap were studied. Water to 3 sweat glands was supplied with a pump at the rate of 10 g/hr in total. Four models of boots with steel toe caps were tested. The same models were manufactured also without steel toe. Sweating reduced footwear insulation 19–25% (30–37% in toes). During static conditions, only a minimal amount of sweat evaporated from boots. Weight affected sole insulation: Reduction depended on compressibility of sole material. The influence of steel toe varied with insulation. The method of thermal foot model appears to be a practical tool for footwear evaluation.     

外墙保温材料在火灾中的燃烧现象小尺寸实验研究

利用外墙保温材料的小尺寸燃烧实验来研究外墙保温材料在火灾过程中的燃烧特性,分析总结外墙保温材料在火灾过程中的燃烧现象.建立外墙保温材料火灾实验模型,对外墙保温材料火灾实验的实验方法以及数据测定方式进行了介绍.采用不同阻燃性质的保温材料,研究阻燃成分阻止竖向燃烧的效果.观察不同的保温材料在燃烧过程中的点燃性能.根据材料的阻燃性能、点火位置、固定方式的不同,总结燃烧痕迹的变化规律.分析非阻燃材料在燃烧的过程中的熔滴生成,发现产生的熔滴对未燃保温材料的点燃现象.观察不同的保温材料在燃烧过程中的烟气生成及烟气层的形成.通过小尺寸火灾试验的方法来研究建筑外墙保温材料火灾的特性,提出使用阻燃型外墙保温材料的必要性.     

A non-destructive single plate method for measurement of thermal resistance of polymer sheets and fabrics

Measurement of thermal resistance of polymer sheets and fibrous layers is important in various applications including those within the engineering, ergonomics, clothing design and personal protective equipment fields. Standard methods for measurement of thermal resistance of plain materials are generally time consuming, expensive and often require the sample to be cut. Moreover, the temperature difference between the surfaces of both plates surrounding the sample must be known, as well as the sample thickness. This article describes a new measuring device named the Thermoscope. The Thermoscope is not limited by the aforementioned requirements and is able to evaluate the thermal resistance of polymer sheets and textiles by touching the sample on one surface alone. Simultaneously, the other surface is kept in thermal contact with the supporting base. The accuracy of this device was compared with the Alambeta thermal insulation tester. Effects of various base materials on measurement precision were also studied.     

Influence assessment of inlet parameters on thermal risk and productivity: Application to the epoxidation of vegetable oils

The influence of inlet parameters on the production and thermal risk of complex chemical systems can be cumbersome to evaluate. To determine the optimum safe operating conditions, one needs to solve complex differential equations derived from energy and material balances. This robust approach cannot be made on-site, and it is essential to propose simplest tools to evaluate rapidly the performance and safety of some operating conditions. This is the aim of this paper that establishes explicit relationships between the production and thermal risk parameters, and the inlet parameters. In addition, it also proposes a Pareto chart that can be used to make the tradeoff between safety and performance. Such relationships and chart were developed for the production of epoxidized cottonseed oil under isoperibolic and semi-batch mode. The kinetic model developed by Zheng et (Zheng et al., 2016). was used. First, a numerical approach, i.e., least square method, was used to find explicit relationships between thermal risk parameters, production parameters and six inlet parameters. The use of such an approach allows a better understanding of this process. Second, safety and performance indicators are proposed and discussed to evaluate the operating conditions thanks to a simple and intuitive schema. Besides, this approach can be used to find the optimum conditions more rapidly.     

Fire tests on defective tank-car thermal protection systems

Many railway tank-cars carrying hazardous materials are thermally protected from fire impingement by thermal insulation and a steel jacket applied to the outside of the tank-car shell. Over time, it is possible that the thermal insulation will sag, rip, degrade, or be crushed under the steel jacket. A thermographic technique to determine whether or not a tank has insulation deficiencies has been developed, but it is necessary to determine which thermal deficiencies do not affect a tank’s survivability in a fire and which thermal deficiencies must be repaired. In order to develop a guideline in assessing thermal defects, a thermal model and experimental data would be beneficial.A series of fire tests were performed on a quarter-section tank-car mock-up to assist in developing a guideline and to provide validation data for a thermal model. Twelve fire tests, with constant, credible, simulated pool fire conditions, were performed on the tank-car mock-up with various insulation deficiencies. An infrared thermal imaging camera was used to measure the tank wall temperature. The thermal images were useful in determining the temperature profiles across the defects at different times and the transient temperature behaviour at different locations.It was seen that the properly installed thermal protection system significantly reduced the heat transfer from the fire to the tank wall. It was also seen that the steel jacket alone (i.e. 100% defect) acted as a radiation shield and provided a significant level of protection. With small defects, it was observed that the surrounding protected material provided a cooling effect by thermal conduction. A square defect greater than about 40 cm on each side should be considered significant, because unlike smaller defects, there is little benefit from the surrounding material as far as the peak defect temperature is concerned.     

The use of footwear insulation values measured on a thermal foot model.

The use of physiological data from human tests in modelling should consider background data, such as activity, environmental factors and clothing insulation on the whole body. The present paper focuses on local thermal comfort of feet with special attention on the effects of physical changes of footwear thermal properties. An alternative test method is available for footwear thermal testing besides the standard method. The possibility to use insulation values acquired on a thermal foot model in practice is shown here. The paper describes the correlation between cold and pain sensations, and foot skin temperatures of the subjects and relates these to insulation measured on a thermal foot model. Recommendations are made for footwear choice according to environmental temperature.     

The influence of sweating on the heat transmission properties of cold protective clothing studied with a sweating thermal manikin.

One of the objectives of the European SUBZERO project was to study the influence of sweat evaporation and condensation on the heat transmission properties of cold protective clothing. With the sweating thermal manikin Coppelius, water vapour transfer through and water condensation in the clothing can be determined simultaneously with the thermal insulation. In this study, 4 cold protective ensembles, intended for use temperatures between 0 and -50 degrees C, were measured with the dry manikin and at 2 different sweating rates. In addition, the ensembles were measured with non-sweating thermal manikins and in wear trials.     

便携式生保系统热控技术研究

热控系统是便携式生保系统的一个重要组成部分，其功能是维持航天员的热舒适性状态。舱外活动（ＥＶＡ）时间是影响热控系统设计的主要因素，它和代谢水平一起决定了热控系统的设计能力。热控系统的重量和体积直接影响某一设计方案的可行性。本文介绍了便携式生保系统中热控系统的设计要求和主要性能指标。通过分析，比较了几种热控系统的性能、提出了我国未来便携式生保系统热控系统的设计方案。     

Hot steam transfer through heat protective clothing layers.

The aim of this study was to analyse the transfer of steam through different types of textile layers as a function of sample parameters such as thickness and permeability. In order to simulate the human body, a cylinder releasing defined amounts of moisture was also used. The influence of sweating on heat and mass transfer was assessed. The results show that in general impermeable materials offer better protection against hot steam than semi-permeable ones. The transfer of steam depended on the water vapour permeability of the samples, but also on their thermal insulation and their thickness. Increasing the thickness of the samples with a spacer gave a larger increase in protection with the impermeable samples compared to semi-permeable materials. Measurements with pre-wetted samples showed a reduction in steam protection in any case. On the other hand, the measurements with a sweating cylinder showed a beneficial effect of sweating.     

Hot Steam Transfer Through Heat Protective Clothing Layers

The aim of this study was to analyse the transfer of steam through different types of textile layers as a function of sample parameters such as thickness and permeability. In order to simulate the human body, a cylinder releasing defined amounts of moisture was also used. The influence of sweating on heat and mass transfer was assessed.

The results show that in general impermeable materials offer better protection against hot steam than semi-permeable ones. The transfer of steam depended on the water vapour permeability of the samples, but also on their thermal insulation and their thickness. Increasing the thickness of the samples with a spacer gave a larger increase in protection with the impermeable samples compared to semi-permeable materials. Measurements with pre-wetted samples showed a reduction in steam protection in any case. On the other hand, the measurements with a sweating cylinder showed a beneficial effect of sweating.     

水膜预湿行为对典型保温材料燃烧抑制实验研究

为探索喷淋形成水膜的预湿行为对外立面典型保温材料燃烧抑制机理,采用自建水膜预湿抑制保温材料燃烧实验装置,研究外加辐射作用下,水膜流率对聚苯乙烯(PS)保温材料表面出现干斑、变形和熔融的影响规律.结果表明:实验结束时PS材料表面水膜出现干斑、材料发生变形和熔融面积占比均与无量纲辐射强度呈正相关;PS材料表面水膜出现干斑、...     

Modelling breakdown of industrial thermal insulation during fire exposure

The aging of many of the installations in the oil and gas industry may increase the likelihood of loss of containment of flammable substances, which could lead to major accidents. Flame temperatures in a typical hydrocarbon fire may reach 1100–1200 °C, which are associated with heat flux levels between 250 and 350 kW/m². To limit or delay the escalation of an initial fire, passive fire protection (PFP) can be an effective barrier. Additionally, both equipment and piping may require thermal insulation for heat or cold conservation. Previous studies have investigated whether thermal insulation alone may protect the equipment for a required time period, e.g., until adequate depressurization is achieved. The present study entails the development of a numerical model for predicting the heat transport through a multi-layer wall of a distillation column exposed to fire. The outer surface is covered by stainless-steel weather protective cladding, followed by PFP, thermal insulation, and finally an inner column of carbon steel of variable thicknesses. The model for the breakdown of thermal insulation is based on observed dimensional changes and independent measurements of the thermal conductivity of the insulation after heat treatment. The calculated temperature profiles of thermally insulated carbon steel during fire exposure are compared to fire test results for carbon steel with thicknesses of 16, 12, 6 and 3 mm. The model's predictions agree reasonably well with the experiments. The degradation of the thermal insulation at temperatures above 1100 °C limits its applicability as fire protection, especially for low carbon-steel thickness. However, the model predicts that adding a 10-mm layer of more heat-resistant insulation (PFP) inside the fire-exposed cladding may considerably extend the time to breakdown of the thermal insulation.     

高压开关柜阻燃绝缘件在役老化诱发着火事故的综合分析

高压开关柜长期连续运行在高温高湿环境下,内部的阻燃绝缘件会老化而导致性能劣化,进而引起电弧击穿乃至着火事故。为揭示绝缘件样品老化对其击穿与引燃特性的影响机制,针对已在役运行12年开关柜内老化阻燃固封极柱样品和同配方新样品,开展了微观形貌、热重-差示扫描量热、热重-红外光谱和微量燃烧特性综合分析。结果表明：开关柜内的长期电热应力易使环氧树脂绝缘材料的微观结构产生破坏,内部易产生孔洞和裂纹,导致其绝缘性能下降;开关柜内的高温环境易使绝缘材料内部分子链缓慢断裂,导致老化样品更易受热分解;同时,柜内高温高湿环境既可使其材料内部孔隙吸湿而降低绝缘性能,还易导致磷系阻燃剂吸潮氧化,降低其阻燃性能;最后,与新样品相比,12年老化样品在升温初期的燃烧释热更高,一旦形成击穿电弧,更易着火燃烧。研究结果为高压开关柜因绝缘件老化失效而形成击穿起火事故提供了分析要点,并可作为未来更高性能阻燃绝缘件的优化设计依据。     

Explosive properties of selected aerosols determined in a spherical 5-L test chamber

Combustible liquids in the form of aerosols are important for many industrial processes. Therefore the problem of explosion hazards posed by the aerosols becomes increasingly more prominent. To correctly assess the explosion risk and fulfil the requirements of the ATEX directive, it is necessary to obtain information regarding the flammable and explosive properties of the aerosols. Unlike in the case of gases and dusts, no standard procedures aimed at obtaining quantitative information of this type exist. Factors that influence the explosion dynamics of aerosols include: concentration, droplet size, temperature etc. Some of these factors are strongly dependent on the aerosol generation methods. A prototype apparatus was designed and constructed to address that dependence. The apparatus was used in an attempt to determine the basic explosion parameters of liquid flammable aerosols. The device consisted of a 5-L spherical vessel equipped with a pump-injection system that generated aerosols as well as a spark ignition source. A wide variety of injection settings were tested to select the most suitable conditions over a broad range of concentrations and fluid properties. A measurement procedure was developed for operating the device. Prototype tests were carried out with fluids commonly used in industry: isopropanol and kerosene. The tests demonstrated the significant influence of the vessel wall temperature on the result accuracy. Correct temperature control made it possible to obtain relationships between the aerosol concentration and the following explosion parameters: maximum explosion pressure and maximum rate of pressure rise.     

Pressure and temperature increase of LPG in a thermally coated pressure vessel exposed to fire: Experimental and model results

Damage caused by incidents with transport tanks with compressed liquified gas is amongst the most extreme that can be encountered with transport vessels. This is particularly the case with the Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapor Explosion (BLEVE), which may occur if such a tank is exposed to fire for a prolonged period. Therefore, the local Dutch LPG transport sector adopted a thermally insulating tank coating as a ‘standard outfit’ for their tank trailers, with the aim to delay a BLEVE for a sufficiently long period for emergency services to take appropriate measures and for people near the accident location to be evacuated. On a European scale however, no consensus has been reached on the cost-benefit of such measures.With the current drive towards “greener” and renewable energy sources, this issue has regained attention with alternative fuels such as LNG, CNG and Hydrogen and a need was felt for (better) theoretical models and experimental data concerning the behavior of transport tanks carrying these substances.In this paper a new tank thermal (equilibrium) model is described to predict pressure and temperature behavior of a multi layered, thermally insulated tank containing a compressed liquified gas exposed to heat. Results are compared with data of three bonfire experiments, in which 3 m³ tanks, filled for ca. 50% with LPG were exposed to fire. A good match between modelled and experimental pressure and temperature evolution in time could be obtained using a constant value for the thermal conductivity of the insulation layer. The modelling showed that the thermal insulation value is crucial for an accurate prediction of these parameters as well as the opening time for a pressure safety valve. As relevant temperatures may cover a very wide range (from cryogenic in LNG-tanks to over 1000 °C in a fire) knowledge of the thermal (and physical) behavior of the insulating layer over a large temperature range is essential.The same holds for the behavior of the PRV when subjected to fire. Extreme temperatures may also lead to deviating behavior from what is expected based on the initial settings.     

Self-ignition in stone wool insulation contaminated with fatty acid (fundamentals,case study,analysis methodology)

A combination of a residual film of flammable organic substance, air and porous structures like insulation material (e.g. stone wool) may result in a fire. The initiating self-heating process depends on the substance (reactivity, volatility), amount of accumulated liquid, volume and temperature. Specific information is given for application and extension of the Thomas criterion with a 2nd order reaction. The experimental part includes new experimental techniques to determine heat transfer and formal reaction kinetic data. The applied self-ignition temperature (SIT) simulation model relies on liquid film volume and not on liquid film surface reaction. As a further result of the studies detailed working procedure of three simplified methodologies for estimation of SITs in technical scale are presented. New techniques to determine parameters necessary for SIT prediction, especially in combination with Methodology III, have the power to reduce the costs for estimating the SIT up to 80%.     

Determination of Heat Loss from the Feet and Insulation of the Footwear

This study compared the methods of determining footwear insulation on human participants and a thermal foot model. Another purpose was to find the minimal number of measurement points on the human foot that is needed for insulation calculation. A bare foot was tested at 3 ambient temperatures on 6 participants. Three types of footwear were tested on 2 participants. The mean insulation for a bare foot obtained on the participant and model were similar. The insulation of warm footwear measured by the 2 methods was also similar. For thin footwear the insulation values from the participants were higher than those from the thermal model. The differences could be related to undefined physiological factors. Two points on the foot can be enough to measure the insulation of footwear on human participants (r = .98). However, due to the big individual differences of humans, and good repeatability and simplicity of thermal foot method, the latter should be preferred for testing.