PHYSIOLOGIC RESPONSE TO TRANSIENT HEAT STRESS IN REFLECTIVE VERSUS NONREFLECTIVE CLOTHING

Abstract

Six subjects wearing either nonreflective or reflective outer garments of equal insulative value (1 clo) and unventilated were exposed in 96 experiments to heat pulses of 93 degrees, 121 degrees, 149 degrees, and 177 degrees C for 15, 12, 9, and 2 minutes, respectively ex periments were designed to simulate a range of re-entry heat exposures produced by malfunction or failure of the air-conditioning system of the vehicle. Total experimental time included the heat pulse and subsequent recovery period and was constant (40 minutes) for all conditions. Mean weighted skin and rectal temperatures, heart rate, total sweat produced and evaporated, and cardiac output, indirectly derived from blood pressure measurements, were the observed physiologic parameters. Evaluation of each parameter, individually, indicates that for some there is no relation between the physiologic response, the type of garment protection, and the level of thermal stress, while for others there is marginal bene fit derived from wearing aluminized outer clothing. At only one time-intensity profile did the physiologic penalty of wearing nonreflective outer clothing appear more than marginal. However, even under the most severe conditions of thermal stress and absence of reflective protection, none of the physiologic responses approached tolerance limits in our terms of reference.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Aug 01, 1963
Accession Number
AD0419121

Entities

People

  • J.f. Hall
  • T.t. Kissen

Organizations

  • Air Force Research Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical
  • Space
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Air Force Facilities
  • Biomedical Research
  • Cardiovascular Physiological Phenomena
  • Fabrics
  • Fire Fighting
  • Fires
  • Heart Rate
  • Heat Energy
  • Heat Transfer
  • Heating
  • Materials
  • Measurement
  • Measuring Instruments
  • New York
  • Physics Laboratories
  • Test Facilities

Readers

  • Cardiovascular Physiology
  • Materials Science
  • Thermal Physics or Thermal Science.

Technology Areas

  • Microelectronics