Applicability of Human Thermophysiological Model for Prediction of Thermal Strain in PPE
The use of personal protective equipment (PPE) is essential to protect the human body in hazardous environments or where there is a risk of CBRN agents. However, PPE also poses a barrier to evaporative heat dissipation, therefore increasing heat accumulation in the body. In our research, we investig...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-06-01
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| Series: | Applied Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/12/7170 |
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| author | Kamila Lunerová Barbora Řehák Kopečková Jan Pokorný Michal Mašín David Kaiser Vladimíra Fialová Jan Fišer |
| author_facet | Kamila Lunerová Barbora Řehák Kopečková Jan Pokorný Michal Mašín David Kaiser Vladimíra Fialová Jan Fišer |
| author_sort | Kamila Lunerová |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The use of personal protective equipment (PPE) is essential to protect the human body in hazardous environments or where there is a risk of CBRN agents. However, PPE also poses a barrier to evaporative heat dissipation, therefore increasing heat accumulation in the body. In our research, we investigated the applicability of thermophysiological models for the prediction of thermal strain and the permissible working time in a contaminated environment when the usage of protective ensembles is required. We investigated the relationship between the thermal insulation characteristics of four types of PPE against CBRN agents and the induced thermal strain in a set of real physiological strain tests with human probands wearing the PPE in a climatic chamber. Based on the results, we compared the predictions using two thermophysiological models—Predicted Heat Strain Index (PHS) and FIALA-based model of thermal comfort (FMTK)—with the experimental data. In order to provide a user-friendly platform for the estimation of thermal stress in PPE, a user-friendly computational tool, Predictor of Thermal Stress (PTS), was developed. The PTS tool is based on an extensive database of simulated calculations using an FMTK model based on PPE characteristics, environmental conditions, individual parameters, and expected workload. The PTS tool was validated by means of the results from real tests in a climatic chamber. The PTS was shown to be an easy-to-use computational tool, which can be run on a regular PC, based on real data applicable for the estimation of the permissible work time limit with regard to thermal strain in PPE under various conditions. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T02:49:08Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ce98826b70324b1bbe5ce3beddb7eab9 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-3417 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T02:49:08Z |
| publishDate | 2023-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Applied Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-ce98826b70324b1bbe5ce3beddb7eab92023-11-18T09:10:09ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172023-06-011312717010.3390/app13127170Applicability of Human Thermophysiological Model for Prediction of Thermal Strain in PPEKamila Lunerová0Barbora Řehák Kopečková1Jan Pokorný2Michal Mašín3David Kaiser4Vladimíra Fialová5Jan Fišer6National Institute for NBC Protection, tř. Kpt. Jaroše 5, 602 00 Brno, Czech RepublicFaculty of Mechanical Engineering, Brno University of Technology, Technická 2, 616 69 Brno, Czech RepublicFaculty of Mechanical Engineering, Brno University of Technology, Technická 2, 616 69 Brno, Czech RepublicNational Institute for NBC Protection, tř. Kpt. Jaroše 5, 602 00 Brno, Czech RepublicNational Institute for NBC Protection, tř. Kpt. Jaroše 5, 602 00 Brno, Czech RepublicNational Institute for NBC Protection, tř. Kpt. Jaroše 5, 602 00 Brno, Czech RepublicFaculty of Mechanical Engineering, Brno University of Technology, Technická 2, 616 69 Brno, Czech RepublicThe use of personal protective equipment (PPE) is essential to protect the human body in hazardous environments or where there is a risk of CBRN agents. However, PPE also poses a barrier to evaporative heat dissipation, therefore increasing heat accumulation in the body. In our research, we investigated the applicability of thermophysiological models for the prediction of thermal strain and the permissible working time in a contaminated environment when the usage of protective ensembles is required. We investigated the relationship between the thermal insulation characteristics of four types of PPE against CBRN agents and the induced thermal strain in a set of real physiological strain tests with human probands wearing the PPE in a climatic chamber. Based on the results, we compared the predictions using two thermophysiological models—Predicted Heat Strain Index (PHS) and FIALA-based model of thermal comfort (FMTK)—with the experimental data. In order to provide a user-friendly platform for the estimation of thermal stress in PPE, a user-friendly computational tool, Predictor of Thermal Stress (PTS), was developed. The PTS tool is based on an extensive database of simulated calculations using an FMTK model based on PPE characteristics, environmental conditions, individual parameters, and expected workload. The PTS tool was validated by means of the results from real tests in a climatic chamber. The PTS was shown to be an easy-to-use computational tool, which can be run on a regular PC, based on real data applicable for the estimation of the permissible work time limit with regard to thermal strain in PPE under various conditions.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/12/7170personal protective equipmentpredictor of thermal stressthermophysiological modelsthermal manikinclimatic chamber |
| spellingShingle | Kamila Lunerová Barbora Řehák Kopečková Jan Pokorný Michal Mašín David Kaiser Vladimíra Fialová Jan Fišer Applicability of Human Thermophysiological Model for Prediction of Thermal Strain in PPE Applied Sciences personal protective equipment predictor of thermal stress thermophysiological models thermal manikin climatic chamber |
| title | Applicability of Human Thermophysiological Model for Prediction of Thermal Strain in PPE |
| title_full | Applicability of Human Thermophysiological Model for Prediction of Thermal Strain in PPE |
| title_fullStr | Applicability of Human Thermophysiological Model for Prediction of Thermal Strain in PPE |
| title_full_unstemmed | Applicability of Human Thermophysiological Model for Prediction of Thermal Strain in PPE |
| title_short | Applicability of Human Thermophysiological Model for Prediction of Thermal Strain in PPE |
| title_sort | applicability of human thermophysiological model for prediction of thermal strain in ppe |
| topic | personal protective equipment predictor of thermal stress thermophysiological models thermal manikin climatic chamber |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/12/7170 |
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