Effects of Two Cooling Garments on Post-exercise Thermal Comfort of Female Subjects in the Heat
Author
Summary, in English
The purpose of the study was to investigate and compare the effect of two cooling garments with phase change
material (PCM) and ventilation on thermal comfort. Eight female university students (age 24±1 years; height 162±4 cm; body
weight 54±4 kg) exercised on a treadmill in an environment of 32 oC with 50 % relative humidity. Tests in three conditions
were carried out after moderate exercise with t-shirt and shorts: cooling with a PCM vest (PCM); cooling with a ventilation
jacket (VEN) and without cooling clothing (natural cooling, a control condition, CON). Results showed that no significant
differences were observed in the mean skin temperature and heart rate among the two cooling garment conditions and the
control condition (p>0.05). The local torso skin temperature was observed with significant difference among the three
conditions (p<0.05) and it was mostly reduced by 0.7 oC and 0.9 oC, respectively in PCM and VEN. Significant differences
were observed in the clothing torso micro-climate temperature and humidity among the three testing scenarios (p<0.05). The
clothing micro-climate temperature was dropped by 2 oC in PCM and 0.8 oC in VEN. The clothing micro-climate humidity in
PCM was 40 % higher than that in VEN after 30 minutes cooling. The perceived thermal sensation was the lowest in PCM
whereas the perceived skin wettedness sensation was the lowest in VEN.
material (PCM) and ventilation on thermal comfort. Eight female university students (age 24±1 years; height 162±4 cm; body
weight 54±4 kg) exercised on a treadmill in an environment of 32 oC with 50 % relative humidity. Tests in three conditions
were carried out after moderate exercise with t-shirt and shorts: cooling with a PCM vest (PCM); cooling with a ventilation
jacket (VEN) and without cooling clothing (natural cooling, a control condition, CON). Results showed that no significant
differences were observed in the mean skin temperature and heart rate among the two cooling garment conditions and the
control condition (p>0.05). The local torso skin temperature was observed with significant difference among the three
conditions (p<0.05) and it was mostly reduced by 0.7 oC and 0.9 oC, respectively in PCM and VEN. Significant differences
were observed in the clothing torso micro-climate temperature and humidity among the three testing scenarios (p<0.05). The
clothing micro-climate temperature was dropped by 2 oC in PCM and 0.8 oC in VEN. The clothing micro-climate humidity in
PCM was 40 % higher than that in VEN after 30 minutes cooling. The perceived thermal sensation was the lowest in PCM
whereas the perceived skin wettedness sensation was the lowest in VEN.
Department/s
Publishing year
2015
Language
English
Pages
1403-1409
Publication/Series
Fibers and Polymers
Volume
16
Issue
6
Full text
- Available as PDF - 597 kB
- Download statistics
Document type
Journal article
Publisher
Korean Fiber Soc.
Topic
- Environmental Health and Occupational Health
- Production Engineering, Human Work Science and Ergonomics
- Textile, Rubber and Polymeric Materials
- Sport and Fitness Sciences
Keywords
- Skin wettedness
- Thermal sensation
- Micro-climate
- PCM and ventilation cooling garments
Status
Published
Research group
- Thermal Environment Laboratory
ISBN/ISSN/Other
- ISSN: 1229-9197