Cold Water Evaluation of Constant-Wear Anti-Exposure Suit Systems
Abstract
Navy aircrew downed in cold water (<15.6 deg C) require anti-exposure garments capable of providing physiological protection against hypothermia (1). The nature of most modern aircraft requires these garments to be of the constant-wear type. These garments must not cause excessive heat stress during normal flight operations (1,2), but must provide downed aircrew with two hours of protection in 7.2 deg C water (1). An anti-exposure system to meet these requirements has been proposed consisting of the CWU-62/P polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) coverall and the CWU-72/P olefin liner. PTFE is a semi-permeable membrane designed to allow the passage of water vapor out of the fabric while preventing water from entering. When compared with other materials, olefin is believed to maintain a greater percentage of its insulative properties when wet. Therefore it has been suggested that the combined use of these materials would represent an improvement in anti-exposure protection. To determine if the proposed anti-exposure system could provide adequate protection against hypothermia, the CWU-62/P PTFE coverall, worn with several different liner configurations, was evaluated in 7.2 deg C water for periods up to two hours. Additional tests, simulating damage to the suit system resulting from normal wear and the tears which may accompany through-the-canopy ejection from aircraft, were also completed under the same environmental conditions.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 28, 1985
- Accession Number
- ADA173388
Entities
People
- Jonathan Kaufman
- Katherine Dejneka
Organizations
- Naval Air Warfare Center Warminster