Smart Cooling for the 21st Century

Delta Thermal Apparel

    Military Products

 

The patented PECSÔ microclimate cooling apparel uses 2-4mm macroPCMs or COOLBEADSÔ uniformly distributed within lightweight vests and/or neckwear and headwear to provide 1-2 hours of passive cooling and comfort to military personnel dressed in LEVEL IV MOPP or LEVEL A HAZMAT protective clothing.  The rugged COOLBEADSÔ are non-toxic, highly fire-resistant, and are uniformly distributed in the highly breathable apparel to provide good moisture transmission and rapid thermal recharging. 

The 5-lb PECSÔ vest designed for the USMC utilizes macroPCMs that change phase or cool at 26-30°C (78-86°F), and that could be recharged in the field without power or refrigeration by dunking it in water, burying it beneath the sand, using evaporation in a dry climate or letting it radiate to the night sky.  The use of this 28°C (86°F) PCM also permits the garment’s dual use: i.e., the garment can be used for either cooling or warming.  Other temperatures can also be selected by changing the macroPCM or by using mixtures of them to optimize their performance with different environmental conditions.

Since PECSÔ apparel is a results of a competitive SBIR program, an order can be sole-sourced to Delta Thermal Apparel without going out on bid.  

 

                                                            

PECS™ Cooling Vest

The 5-lb PECSÔ Cooling Vest can be either front opening or over-the-head, and may include a stand-up collar with macroPCMs provide cooling to the neck.  Multiple adjustments on each side results in a “one-size-fits-all” garment.  Temperature strips on the front of the vest permit rapid assessment of the state of thermal charge or readiness of the garment.

 

 

 

      

PECS™ Vest Transport Bag

The ½-lb transport bag or cooler is made of highly reflective foil, and utilizes ¼” of microPCM foam to provide superior thermal insulation and full thermal charge of the PECS™ apparel.  The top of the bag zips open for easy access, and the two straps around the bag facilitate carrying it.  Tests have shown that a PECS™ vest inside the bag can maintain its full thermal charge for 30 hours at an external temperature of 41°C or 105°F.

 

PECS™ Headwear and Neckwear Apparel

Lightweight 0.5-lb to 1.5-lb helmet liners, cowls and neck collars, that contain macroPCMs and mate to the vests, are available to facilitate microclimate cooling of the head and neck.

 

Experimental Test Results with PECS™

The PECSÔ microclimate cooling vest was extensively tested (1) first with a proprietary computer model at the University of Texas, which was developed under the SBIR Phase II program at TRDC that was sponsored by USMC, and (2) then during more than 50 experiments with U.S. Marines, including many from CBIRF - the Chemical Biological Incident Response Force.  CBIRF is America’s first response to a terrorist attack, and was based at Camp Lejeune, N.C.  They had defined the needs and specifications of PECSÔ, and both male and female members of that group, dressed in LEVEL IV MOPP and LEVEL A HAZMAT protective clothing, tested prototype macroPCM vests on a treadmill in the heated environmental chamber at TRDC.   Temperature test data were recorded using thermocouples located in the garments as well as body core and skin temperatures and blood pressure and pulse rate physiological data.  The Figure below shows Marines in LEVEL IV MOPP and LEVEL A protective clothing on the treadmill at TRDC.

 

 

The temperature test data for a female Marine in Level IV MOPP during a 2-hour treadmill exercise at 41.5°C or 105°F is shown in the Figure below.  Notice that her body and skin temperatures stayed below 38.5°C or 101°F.     

 

An Inframetrics SC-1000 IR scanning camcorder was also used to record the changing temperature levels and patterns of the clothing and skin during tests with PECSÔ.  The Figure below shows two Marines after 1 hour in the environmental chamber at 105°F at the Navy Air Test Center in Patuxent River, MD.  The photo on the left shows the corpsman on the left with the Marine in Level IV MOPP protective clothing on the right.  Note that the temperature of the PECSÔ vest is still cooling in phase change and is no warmer than the corpsman, who is sweating profusely to stay cool.

   

 

TPP Thermal Protective Performance Testing by the School of Testing at NC State University, Raleigh, NC

TPP testing was also conducted with macroPCMs in a 6”x6” swatch of the netting used to contain the particles in the PECSÔ vest.  The swatch was subjected to direct flames produced by gas and radiant lamp heaters.  The Stoll 2^nd Degree Burn criteria, which was developed by the Navy, was used to assess the TPP performance of the macroPCM material.  To be considered safe and fire-resistant, the COOLBEAD response cannot rise above the Stoll curve in 18 seconds.  As shown in the Figures below, the latent phase change of the COOLBEADS™ was virtually unchanged after 90 seconds, when the test was terminated to prevent heat damage to the test facility.

 

Field Trials of PECS with U.S. Marines

Field trials with PECSÔ were conducted with NBC Marines on the Obstacle Course at Camp Lejeune and with NBC Marines at the USMC Cherry Point, NC.  In all tests, the PECSÔ vests provided satisfactory cooling to the Marines during the exercises.

             Civilian Products

The patented COOLTECHÔ apparel also uses 2-4mm macroencapsulated phase change material (macroPCMÔ) particles or COOLBEADSÔ distributed uniformly within the lightweight vests, headwear and neckwear to provide hours of significant passive microclimate cooling at a desirable temperature for industrial workers, firefighters, sportsmen, costumed characters, and people with heat stress medical disabilities.  Current COOLTECHÔ microclimate cooling apparel uses a unique mixture of two macroPCMs to provide optimal cooling as well as a novel tactile alarm to (1) alert the wearer that the primary macroPCM cooling media is exhausted, and (2) insure protection from heat stroke with a secondary macroPCM.  Once again, because this technology was developed during a competitive SBIR program, a purchase order can be sole-sourced to Delta Thermal Apparel.  It is unnecessary for governmental agencies to go out on bid for this patented apparel.

                                                                  

COOLTECH™ Cooling Vest

The COOLTECHÔ Cooling Vest can be either a simple “over-the-head” model or a front-opening garment.  The vests are currently produced in two sizes: a 3.5-lb model that is slightly smaller and is ideal for women, and a 5-lb model, which provides the maximum cooling needed by men.  Earlier research at TRDC and the University of Texas demonstrated that men produce more internal heat than women, largely due to their greater muscle mass.  COOLTECHÔ cooling apparel for the Entertainment Industry utilizes a novel mixture of two macroPCMs.  The primary macroPCM provides cooling for over an hour at 18°C (65°F) before the secondary macroPCM begins at 28°C or 83°F.  Other temperatures for phase change can be selected and the mixture of macroPCMs can also be optimized to maximize the apparel’s performance in different conditions.

 

 COOLTECH™ Cooling Cowl

Since a large quantity of heat is lost through the head and neck, the COOLTECHÔ cowl provides for a high amount of microclimate cooling to both the head and neck.  The 1.5-lb cowl mates to the COOLTECHÔ vest and can contain either a single macroPCM or a mixture of two macroPCMs.

The COOLTECHÔ Cowl wraps behind the ears,  has a Hook/Loop Closure, and mates to the vest.

 

 

 

COOLTECH™ Cooling Collar or Neckwear

The 1-lb COOLTECH™ cooling collar contains either a single or a mixture of different macroPCMs to provide microclimate cooling to the neck.  Since a  high volume of blood flow in the carotid arteries and jugular veins passes adjacent to the collar, it has been found to be useful for enhanced body cooling.  The COOLTECH™ collar has a Hook/Loop Closure and can be mated to the vest or worn alone.

 

 

 

COOLTECHÔ Test and Evaluation

 In August 2001, COOLTECHÔ vests, collars and cowls were tested during a series of instrumented experiments by male and female costumed characters at a major theme park in Florida.  The apparel was later tested with male and female costumed characters at another major theme park in Florida.   The two companies were the first organizations to buy the COOLTECHÔ microclimate cooling apparel.

    

 

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