Innovative PCM-desiccant packet to provide dry microclimate and improve performance of cooling vest in hot environment

Abstract

A novel combination of phase change material (PCM) and a solid desiccant layer is proposed for the aim of maintaining dry cool microclimate air adjacent to wet warm skin and hence improve PCM performance in cooling vests used in hot humid environment. A fabric-PCM-Desiccant model is developed to predict the temperature and moisture content of the microclimate air layer in the presence of a PCM-Desiccant packet. The developed model is validated through experiments conducted on a wet clothed heated cylinder for the two cases of using (i) a PCM only packet and (ii) a PCM-Desiccant packet. Microclimate air temperatures and humidity content as well as PCM and desiccant temperatures were measured experimentally and were compared with predicted values by the fabric-PCM-Desiccant model. Good agreement was attained with a maximum relative error of 7% in measured temperatures. A decrease is observed in the humidity content of the microclimate air in the presence of the solid desiccant from 21.23 g/kg dry air to 19.74 g/kg dry air and an increase in the melted fraction of the PCM at the end of the experiment from 0.24 to 0.5. © 2017 Elsevier Ltd