Design and evaluation of cooling workwear for miners in hot underground mines using PCMs with different temperatures

Abstract

Cooling workwear using phase change materials (PCMs) was designed for miners in hot underground mines. A new arrangement of PCM packs was introduced that used 15 °C PCMs as the inner layer and 23 °C PCMs as the outer layer (15&23). Its performance was investigated using thermal manikin and human subject tests by comparison with clothing without PCMs (CON), with 15 °C PCMs (15&15) and with melted PCMs (mPCM) in a climate chamber (30 °C, 80% relative humidity). The PCM cooling workwear significantly increased the manikin heat loss, attenuated the rise of skin temperatures and improved thermal sensation and comfort. The cooling duration was extended in 15&23 as compared with 15&15. The added PCMs did not affect the perceptual exertion and body mobility. In summary, cooling workwear using PCMs with different temperatures can be an effective option for miners’ personal cooling in a hot and humid environment.

Keywords:

• mining workwear
• phase change material
• thermal manikin
• physiological responses
• movement comfort
• heat hazard

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to acknowledge the volunteers for their assistance in the experiments.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities [Grant JUSRP51735B].