Thermal Modeling for Dive Planning with a Yazback Wetsuit
Abstract
Public Releasable Project Abstract Adequate thermal protection is necessary for Navy divers and Naval Special Warfare (NSW) operators to complete missions and maintain functionality in cold water environments. While wetsuits are a common choice for thermal protection, existing mathematical tools do not allow Navy personnel to sufficiently evaluate new wetsuit design choices in absence of lengthy and expensive manned evaluations. One issue that further complicates modeling efforts is the fact that the insulation properties of wetsuits, and thus their thermal protection, are known to change with depth. More specifically, wetsuit foams are comprised of gas filled bubbles to help provide insulation. As divers increase their depth, they experience larger external pressures which, in turn, compress their suit while reducing the bubble size. This effectively reduces the insulation properties of wetsuits, e.g. a 70% reduction in insulation can occur at a 20 msw depth. Currently, the evaluation of new wetsuit designs and determining whether they will meet operational needs requires expensive and time-consuming man testing. The present proposal builds upon our recent success in the development of computer algorithms that predict core temperatures for human subjects immersed in cold water. The planned research will address a current void in the literature by expanding the recently developed models to focus more on the specifics of Navy divers with the goal of building algorithms that could be used to make equipment choices for dive planning. For example, the algorithms would incorporate different gas mixtures used during diving, whether in open-circuit or closed-circuit configurations, to estimate safe dive durations at varying water temperatures. Additionally, the algorithms would be able to account for known or suspected thermoclines and adjust predictions accordingly. Crucially, the algorithms would be able to provide tailored operating margins based on the physical properties of thermal protection such as drysuits, wetsuits, hoods, and gloves.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Nov 09, 2024
- Source ID
- N000142412771
Entities
People
- Brian P. Mann
Organizations
- Duke University
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Navy