Design and validation of novel evaporative local cooling coatings to prevent adverse health effects of heat exposure

Background and Objective: This study aimed to design and evaluate the cooling power of local cooling coats for the head, neck, ankles, and wrists.Materials and Methods: local cooling coatings were designed using Iranians workers' existing ۵۰th anthropometric percentile data. After immersing the cooling coats in water for ۵ minutes, they were placed in a chamber at ۳۰°C, ۳۵°C, and ۴۰ °C and ۳۰% and ۶۰% humidity and ۰.۲-۰.۴ m / s air velocity for ۱۲۰ minutes. The amount of water evaporation was measured by weighing each coat before and after entering the chamber, and then the cooling power of each coat was calculated based on the amount of water evaporation.Results: The average cooling power of cooling coats with covering areas (two wrists ۹۳۳.۷۵ cm۲, two ankles ۱۴۶۷.۳۷ cm۲ and head and neck ۱۲۷۰ cm۲) that the total area of the cover is ۳۶۷۱.۱۲ cm۲, ie about ۲۰% of the body at ۳۰% relative humidity in ۳۰°C, ۳۵°C and ۴۰°C was ۶۷, ۷۷ and ۸۹ watts, respectively. At the mentioned temperature and in ۶۰% relative humidity, the cooling power was ۳۴, ۴۰, and ۵۵ watts. As the relative humidity increased, the cooling power of the coats decreased.Conclusion: Local evaporative cooling coat on the head, neck, wrists, and ankles can reasonably repel excess heat entering the body. The best performance of these coats is in hot and dry environments. Probably, if used in conjunction with cooling vests in environments with high temperatures and heavy activity, it can act as a supplement to cooling vests and have a significant effect on improving functions.

Keywords:

Heat Illness , Heat Stress , Personal Protective Equipment , Prevention and control