| Author: | Zhou, Yiying |
| Title: | Design and evaluation of personal cooling garments |
| Advisors: | Fan, Jintu (SFT) |
| Degree: | Ph.D. |
| Year: | 2026 |
| Department: | School of Fashion and Textiles |
| Pages: | xv, 188 pages : color illustrations |
| Language: | English |
| Abstract: | Personal cooling garments have gained significant attention due to the need for alleviating heat stress and improving thermal comfort in various occupational and personal settings. This thesis presents a comprehensive investigation of personal cooling garments (PCGs), focusing on the design, development, and evaluation of novel cooling solutions. Two PCGs are developed and evaluated: The Wearable Cooling and Dehumidifying System (WCDS) for healthcare workers wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) and Ventilation Cooling Garment (VCG) for individuals working in hot environments. The literature review categorizes personal cooling technologies according to their fundamental mechanisms: air cooling, evaporative cooling, phase-change cooling, liquid cooling, thermoelectric cooling, and radiative cooling. For each category, the review analyzes critical design parameters and applications while systematically identifying their advantages and limitations. Quantitative performance parameters enable objective comparisons across different cooling technologies. The review further included standardized evaluation methodologies, establishing a foundation for future PCG development. For the Wearable Cooling and Dehumidifying System (WCDS), development began with identifying critical requirements for healthcare workers: effective cooling capacity, humidity control, infection prevention, and PPE compatibility. A fundamental innovation was addressing both temperature and humidity regulation simultaneously within the enclosed PPE microenvironment—a crucial need not adequately addressed by existing commercial solutions. Thermal manikin testing demonstrated the WCDS's cooling efficiency, delivering consistent cooling power of approximately 60 Watts over 4 hours—2.9 to 3.9 times higher per unit weight than commercial alternatives. While liquid cooling garments (LCG) and phase-change cooling garments (PCCG) exhibited declining performance, the WCDS maintained steady cooling while effectively reducing both temperature and humidity within PPE. Human subject testing revealed significant physiological benefits, with the WCDS maintaining lower core temperatures during exercise without increased cardiovascular strain, while substantially improving thermal comfort and reducing wetness sensation. The Ventilation Cooling Garment (VCG) design process involved comprehensive requirements analysis for hot environment applications, prioritizing optimized airflow distribution to physiologically critical regions, particularly the scapular area, while maintaining energy efficiency and minimizing noise. The design strategically balanced cooling effectiveness with practical limitations of power consumption, user comfort and practical wearability. Comparative analysis showed the VCG delivered approximately 85% higher cooling power at low airflow rates compared to commercial air cooling garments (ACG), with optimal efficiency at lower fan speeds—indicating potential for reduced energy consumption without compromising effectiveness. In human trials, the VCG maintained core temperature differences of approximately 0.2°C and reduced heart rates by approximately 8 bpm during exercise compared to non-cooling conditions. Microclimate temperatures were consistently 3°C lower, with maximum cooling effect in the scapular region. Perceived exertion decreased by 40-50% with the cooling garment. The research establishes a methodological framework combining systematic design processes, material selection, prototype development, and comprehensive performance evaluation for developing personal cooling technologies tailored to specific occupational requirements. Future research directions include further design optimization, material innovations, extended field testing, standardization of evaluation methodologies, and expansion to other applications. These findings have significant implications for occupational health and safety, worker productivity, and comfort in thermally challenging workplaces. |
| Rights: | All rights reserved |
| Access: | open access |
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