BodyTeq™ - Cooling The Body
 
Conductive cooling occurs when heat passes directly from the body to Hydroweave® based on the difference in temperature between the body and the garment. Evaporative cooling occurs when water evaporates from a surface. That surface becomes cooler because of the heat that is expended by changing a liquid into a vapor.

Whereas the cooling effects from conductive cooling are limited, evaporative cooling provides considerably more heat removal than conduction alone. There is little impact of the water temperature in Hydroweave® on the effectiveness of cooling. Even when the water absorbed by the garment becomes warmer from conduction of heat from the wearer’s body, evaporative cooling is provided at nearly undiminished levels.

The effectiveness of this cooling is dependent on the amount of moisture in the air or relative humidity. At low-to-moderate relative humidity, more evaporation can take place and garments made of Hydroweave® are more effective in cooling the wearer.

Hydroweave® is quilted or bonded together and offered with a variety of shell and liner fabrics to give the clothing designer an array of design choices.

Standard Applications Include:

• Police, Fire, Paramedic

• Road crews

• Construction trades

• Agricultural employees

• Competetive and recreational sports

• Manufacturing environments

How does Hydroweave® cool the body?
Hydroweave® functions as an evaporative heat-sink. The water stored in Hydroweave®'s batting evaporates to cool the wearer. Coolness naturally migrates to warm areas and Hydroweave®'s conductive lining facilitates the transfer of the cooling to the body. For more about this subject, read our Evaporative Cooling Discussion.

It works even in fully enclosed applications
When used under a barrier suit or beneath body armor, Hydroweave® is an effective passive heat-sink.

In tests at Auburn University, vests made of Hydroweave® were activated with tap water and placed on subjects beneath a protective barrier suit. In this tests the subjects walked on a treadmill until a 2 degree centigrade rise in core body temperature was detected.

Students wearing vests made from Hydroweave® were able to continue work an average of 16.7% longer than those without a cooling vest.

Four principal factors affect the potential for heat stress:

• Enviromnental conditions

• The level of individual activity

• The physical condition of the individual

• The type of clothing or equipment being worn

Certain hot or humid conditions create a greater potential for heat stress, as does increased physical activity. In many cases, the environmental and required activity level cannot be controlled, and the only way of minimizing these effects is to change work schedules by introducing frequent breaks.

Individuals that are not in good physical condition or are affected by health problems can also create more susceptibility. The choice of protective clothing is often one of the few factors that can be altered in avoiding heat stress.

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