Anti-exposure Garments for US Navy Aircrew
Human thermal modeling provides valuable insight into improving thermal comfort for individuals operating in extreme environmental conditions. This research supports Moonprint Solutions, funded by the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program, with the goal of enhancing the thermal performance of anti-exposure garments used by military service members. By characterizing the physiological responses of crew members in extreme hot and humid environments, this work aims to inform design modifications that reduce excessive thermal burden while maintaining protection against hazards and cold-water immersion.
The collaboration with Moonprint Solutions enables integration between thermal modeling efforts and experimental testing conducted at Moonprint’s facilities. Thermal simulations of the garment and the human thermal system have been performed across a range of metabolic rates for both baseline suit configurations and proposed design modifications. Environmental conditions evaluated include temperatures ranging from 18-40 °C and relative humidity levels from 50–80%, representing a broad range of mission-relevant scenarios. These simulations contribute to the development of a comprehensive understanding of garment performance.
The thermal model builds upon a foundational one-dimensional human thermoregulation model originally presented by Gagge, which represents the body using nodes corresponding to the core, where metabolic heat is generated, and the skin. The model incorporates heat transfer processes including internal convection and conduction within the garment system, as well as physiological thermoregulatory mechanisms such as perspiration, respiration, vasodilation, and vasoconstriction. Additional modifications developed by the research team allow the model to more accurately represent novel configurations and thermal characteristics of the anti-exposure suit system.
Graduate Student: Sarah Freeman