Building and Testing an Incompressible Thermally Insulating Cold Temperature Diving Wetsuit
Abstract
Thermal protection for divers is critical and needs improvement. The goal is to have a full wetsuit that will insulate the human body from the colder temperature of the water and the depth that a diver is submerged. I designed, fabricated, and built a fully thermal passive insulation wetsuit using composite material based on microspheres to be able to comfortably fit on a human to minimize restriction while diving and performing duties underwater. During testing in the open ocean, the composite wetsuit was proven to be superior to neoprene wetsuits by several degrees Fahrenheit. This composite wetsuit has the advantage of a three millimeter neoprene wetsuit for mobility and performs better than a seven millimeter neoprene wetsuit for warmth. By improving divers thermal protection in water, the composite wetsuit will enhance their job performance and increase the amount of time they can spend underwater.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 2020
- Accession Number
- AD1126514
Entities
People
- Shane L. Martin
Organizations
- Naval Postgraduate School