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Modeling heat and moisture transport in firefighter protective clothing during flash fire exposure

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Abstract

In this paper, a model of heat and moisture transport in firefighter protective clothing during a flash fire exposure is presented. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of coupled heat and moisture transport on the protective performance of the garment. Computational results show the distribution of temperature and moisture content in the fabric during the exposure to the flash fire as well as during the cool-down period. Moreover, the duration of the exposure during which the garment protects the firefighter from getting second and third degree burns from the flash fire exposure is numerically predicted. A complete model for the fire-fabric-air gap-skin system is presented.

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Acknowledgements

The support provided by the National Textile Center is gratefully acknowledged. Helpful discussions with Profs. R. L. Barker, H. Hamouda, and Drs. D. B. Thomson and G. Song are greatly appreciated.

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  1. Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, North Carolina State University, Campus Box 7916, Raleigh, NC 27695-7910, USA

    Patirop Chitrphiromsri & Andrey V. Kuznetsov

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  1. Patirop Chitrphiromsri
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  2. Andrey V. Kuznetsov
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Correspondence to Andrey V. Kuznetsov.

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Chitrphiromsri, P., Kuznetsov, A.V. Modeling heat and moisture transport in firefighter protective clothing during flash fire exposure. Heat Mass Transfer 41, 206–215 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00231-004-0504-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00231-004-0504-x

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