Evaluating the Effects of Moisture on the Thermal Protective Performance of Firefighter Protective Clothing in Low Level Heat Exposures. Annual Report.
Evaluating the Effects of Moisture on the Thermal
Protective Performance of Firefighter Protective
Clothing in Low Level Heat Exposures. Annual Report.
(1914 K)
North Carolina State University
Annual Report; 94 p. December 2001.
Sponsor:
National Institute of Standards and Technology,
Gaithersburg, MD
Keywords:
protective clothing; fire fighters; moisture; heat
exposure; turnout coats; burns (injuries)
Abstract:
The accomplishments made to date can be summarized as
follows: Sophisticated laboratory moisture delivery
systems have been used to study ways in which moisture
is absorbed and distributed in firefighter turnout
composites. These studies have provided the foundation
for the following outcome -- A practical laboratory
preconditioning protocol has been developed for use in
testing moisture effects on the thermal protective
performance of firefighter composites in low level heat
exposures. This preconditioning protocol has been shown
to reproducibly introduce moisture at levels and
distributions that reasonably simulate moisture
absorption in firefighter turnout systems exposed to
perspiration from a sweating firefighter. Progress has
been made toward the development and evaluation of
thermal sensors suitable for use in evaluating thermal
protection in low level heat exposures: Laboratory
experiments have been conducted to evaluate and compare
the response of several different thermal sensors,
including NCSU's Pyrocal and water cooled sensors to low
level heat exposure. The RPP test platform is being used
to evaluate response to exposures ranging from 2.5 to 10
kw/m2. Comparative evaluation of the merits of skin
model sensor technologies for low level heat tests is
ongoing. An experimental series has been conducted to
show moisture effects on thermal protective performance
in various low level heat exposures. The second year of
this project will be devoted to validation of moisture
preconditioning protocols and thermal sensors, and to a
full analysis of moisture effects on bum potential. A
major obstacle In the development test methodology for
this application is the availability of moisture
preconditioning protocols for turnout materials. There
is also a lack of basic understanding of how moisture is
absorbed in turnout systems when exposed, either to
perspiration from a sweating firefighter, or to water
from a fire ground source.
Building and Fire Research Laboratory
National Institute of Standards and Technology
Gaithersburg, MD 20899