Effect of Phase Change Material Melting Points on Thermal Protection Behavior of Firefighters' Turnout Gear

Details

• Journal Article:
  Human dynamics, product evaluation and quality. Proceedings of the 16th International Conference on Applied Human Factors and Ergonomics and the Affiliated Conferences, July 26-30, 2025, Orlando, Florida
• Personal Author:
  Xu, Susan S. ; Pollard, Jonisha P. ; Zhao, Weihuan
• Description:
  This study incorporated phase change material (PCM) in firefighters' turnout gear, aiming to harness the thermal protective properties of PCM to remarkably enhance the thermal protective performance (TPP) of turnout gear. It used an advanced 3D firefighters' turnout gear equipped human model for numerical simulations as a preliminary step toward designing and testing more advanced experimental models. The primary goal of this study is to determine the optimum melting temperature range and the corresponding location of PCM segments in turnout gear to maximize thermal protection. It was found that PCM melting temperature in the range of 50-80 degrees C could better protect the human body, and PCM location close to the clothing's inner surface could help further extend thermal protection time under high heat exposures. Utilizing PCM segments within firefighters' turnout gear could double the time required for the skin to reach second-degree burn injury compared to traditional gear lacking PCM technology. This research will provide valuable insights that can guide future experimental designs and contribute to the development of more effective protective gear for firefighters.
• Subjects:
  Firefighters Occupational Exposure Occupational Health Protective Clothing Safety
• Keywords:
  Author Keywords: 3D Human Thermal Model; Firefighters' Turnout Gear; Phase Change Material; PCM Melting Point; Thermal Protection Enhancement Human Factors Engineering; Fire Fighters; Fire Fighting Equipment; Thermal Effects; Heat Exposure; Materials Testing; Protective Clothing;
• Source:
  Human dynamics, product evaluation and quality. Proceedings of the 16th International Conference on Applied Human Factors and Ergonomics and the Affiliated Conferences, July 26-30, 2025, Orlando, Florida. Li Z, Zallio M, Xu S, eds. Orlando, FL: Applied Human Factors and Ergonomics (AHFE) International, 2025 Jul; 172:59-67
• ISBN:
  9781964867489
• ISSN:
  2376-4244
• Publisher:
  Applied Human Factors and Ergonomics (AHFE) International
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Pennsylvania ; Oklahoma ; Philadelphia Region [OSHA] ; Dallas Region [OSHA]
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  NPPTL - National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  9 pdf pages
• Volume:
  172
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20071271
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2025
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:99adba0b6e94f4631d8503c3c2ade0fb38191c9e699feaac68bbd064aa5e199e57dae848082ba0668c9a687da17a8c75312971806ceaa89d6e38485478f0f5eb
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/258749/cdc_258749_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1.24 MB ]