Man-portable personal cooling garment based on vacuum desiccant cooling

A man-portable personal cooling garment based on the concept of vacuum desiccant cooling (VDC) was developed. It was demonstrated with cooling pads that a cooling capacity of 373.1 W/m2 could be achieved in an ambient environment of 37 °C. Tests with human subjects wearing prototype cooling garments consisting of 12 VDC pads with an overall weight of 3.4 kg covering 0.4 m2 body surface indicate that the garment could maintain a core temperature substantially lower than the control when the workload was walking on a treadmill of 2% inclination at 3 mph. The exercise was carried out in an environment of 40 °C and 50% relative humidity (RH) for 60 min. Tests also showed that the VDC garment could effectively reduce the metabolic heat accumulation in body with subject wearing heavily insulated nuclear, biological and chemical (NBC) suit working in the heat and allow the participant to work safely for 60 min, almost doubling the safe working time of the same participant when he wore NBC suit only.

► Heat stress mitigation is important for workers health, safety, and performance.
► Vacuum desiccant cooling (VDC) a novel concept for personal cooling.
► VDC garment man-portable and more efficient than commercial ice/pad vest.
► VDC garment suitable for personal cooling with NBC suit.