Chemical Warfare Protective Clothing: Identification of Performance Limitations and their Possible Solution

摘要

The major factors which contribute to the increased thermal burden imposed by chemical warfare (CW) protective clothing are the insulation characteristics (clo) and the evaporative impedance (im) of the material; and, increased levels of energy expenditure for performing physical exercise while wearing these clothing systems. An approach to alleviating heat stress is through the use of auxiliary cooling. A number of prototype microclimate cooling systems which employ either air-cooled or liquid-cooled vests have been shown to be effective in reducing soldier heat strain during exercise while wearing CW protective clothing in hot environments. Our Institute has also developed the ability to predict the thermal strain, water requirements, tolerance time and optimal work-rest ratios for soldiers exercising in CW protective clothing in a wide variety of environmental conditions.