Performance enhancement of hybrid personal cooling clothing in a hot environment: PCM cooling energy management with additional insulation |
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Authors: | Udayraj Wenfang Song Ying Ke Pengjun Xu Cathy Sin Wei Chow |
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Affiliation: | 1. Institute of Textiles and Clothing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong;2. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bhilai, Chhattisgarh, India;3. School of Art and Design, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, China;4. School of Textile and Clothing, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China;5. Faculty of Clothing and Design, Minjiang University, Fuzhou, China |
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Abstract: | A novel design of personal cooling clothing incorporating additional insulation sandwiched between phase change materials (PCMs) and clothing outer layer is proposed. Performance of four personal cooling systems including clothing with only PCMs, clothing with PCMs and insulation (PCM?+?INS), clothing with PCMs and ventilation fans (HYB), and clothing with PCMs, ventilation fans and insulation (HYB?+?INS) was investigated. Effect of additional insulation on clothing cooling performance in terms of human physiological and perceptual responses was also examined. Human trials were carried out in a hot environment (i.e. 36?°C, RH = 59%). Results showed that significantly lower mean skin/torso temperatures were registered in HYB?+?INS as compared to HYB. In contrast, no significant effect of the use of insulation on both skin and body temperatures between PCM and PCM?+?INS was observed. Also, no significant difference in thermal sensations, thermal comfort, and skin wetness sensation was registered between cooling systems with and without additional insulation. Practitioner Summary: Hybrid personal cooling clothing has shown the ability to provide a relatively cool microclimate around the wearer’ body while working in hot environments. The present work addresses the importance of cooling energy saving for PCMs in a hot environment. This work contributes to optimising cooling performance of hybrid personal cooling systems. |
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Keywords: | Heat stress personal cooling phase change materials energy management air ventilation physiological responses |
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