Heat transfer model to predict skin burn injury for firefighters

Skin burn injury is common among firefighters despite being encapsulated in the personal protective clothing. However, it is complex to predict skin burn during actual firefighting scenarios due to complex clothing geometries and thermal hazard environment. The objectives of this research were to de...

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Main Author:	Zainol, Zaina Norhallis
Format:	Thesis
Language:	English
Published:	2021
Subjects:	TJ Mechanical engineering and machinery
Online Access:	http://eprints.utm.my/id/eprint/101865/1/ZainaNorhallisZainolPSKM2021.pdf.pdf
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id	my-utm-ep.101865
record_format	uketd_dc
spelling	my-utm-ep.1018652023-07-13T02:02:34Z Heat transfer model to predict skin burn injury for firefighters 2021 Zainol, Zaina Norhallis TJ Mechanical engineering and machinery Skin burn injury is common among firefighters despite being encapsulated in the personal protective clothing. However, it is complex to predict skin burn during actual firefighting scenarios due to complex clothing geometries and thermal hazard environment. The objectives of this research were to develop a heat transfer model for predicting skin burn injury for firefighters and identify the causative factors affecting skin burn. A heat transfer model of a multilayer personal protective clothing furnished with human skin was developed using the Finite Element Method. The model considered bioheat equations that includes metabolic heat generation and blood perfusion for predicting skin burn injury. The model employed a quarter cylinder (radial) geometry to represent human limb overlays with Aralite material under wet and dry conditions. The factors such as air gap, heat flux and vapour were considered in skin burn analysis. The validation of the model was carried out by comparing skin temperatures at specified positions based on the published experimental data. The percentage error is less than 17% which is acceptable according to ASHRAE's prescription. The result shows that air gap thickness of 1 mm able to reduce the skin temperature by 10°C and the skin temperature can be reduced further as the air gap thickened. In dry conditions, each 1000 W/m2 increment of heat flux will increase the skin temperature by 2°C. While, in wet condition, a significant increase of 4°C of the skin temperature was observed for every 1000 W/m2 increment due the material properties of the personal protective clothing when it was altered and enhanced heat transfer across multiple layers of wet fabric. The presence of vapour under a constant heat flux of 7000 W/m2 for 25 seconds increases the skin temperature by 10°C. Based on transient heat transfer analysis, it was observed that steam burn injury occurred due to vapour. The research had developed a parametric study based on the three causative factors specifically for Aralite material. The model could benefit designers in producing and improving protective personal clothing for firefighters. 2021 Thesis http://eprints.utm.my/id/eprint/101865/ http://eprints.utm.my/id/eprint/101865/1/ZainaNorhallisZainolPSKM2021.pdf.pdf application/pdf en public http://dms.library.utm.my:8080/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:149300 phd doctoral Universiti Teknologi Malaysia Faculty of Engineering - School of Mechanical Engineering
institution	Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
collection	UTM Institutional Repository
language	English
topic	TJ Mechanical engineering and machinery
spellingShingle	TJ Mechanical engineering and machinery Zainol, Zaina Norhallis Heat transfer model to predict skin burn injury for firefighters
description	Skin burn injury is common among firefighters despite being encapsulated in the personal protective clothing. However, it is complex to predict skin burn during actual firefighting scenarios due to complex clothing geometries and thermal hazard environment. The objectives of this research were to develop a heat transfer model for predicting skin burn injury for firefighters and identify the causative factors affecting skin burn. A heat transfer model of a multilayer personal protective clothing furnished with human skin was developed using the Finite Element Method. The model considered bioheat equations that includes metabolic heat generation and blood perfusion for predicting skin burn injury. The model employed a quarter cylinder (radial) geometry to represent human limb overlays with Aralite material under wet and dry conditions. The factors such as air gap, heat flux and vapour were considered in skin burn analysis. The validation of the model was carried out by comparing skin temperatures at specified positions based on the published experimental data. The percentage error is less than 17% which is acceptable according to ASHRAE's prescription. The result shows that air gap thickness of 1 mm able to reduce the skin temperature by 10°C and the skin temperature can be reduced further as the air gap thickened. In dry conditions, each 1000 W/m2 increment of heat flux will increase the skin temperature by 2°C. While, in wet condition, a significant increase of 4°C of the skin temperature was observed for every 1000 W/m2 increment due the material properties of the personal protective clothing when it was altered and enhanced heat transfer across multiple layers of wet fabric. The presence of vapour under a constant heat flux of 7000 W/m2 for 25 seconds increases the skin temperature by 10°C. Based on transient heat transfer analysis, it was observed that steam burn injury occurred due to vapour. The research had developed a parametric study based on the three causative factors specifically for Aralite material. The model could benefit designers in producing and improving protective personal clothing for firefighters.
format	Thesis
qualification_name	Doctor of Philosophy (PhD.)
qualification_level	Doctorate
author	Zainol, Zaina Norhallis
author_facet	Zainol, Zaina Norhallis
author_sort	Zainol, Zaina Norhallis
title	Heat transfer model to predict skin burn injury for firefighters
title_short	Heat transfer model to predict skin burn injury for firefighters
title_full	Heat transfer model to predict skin burn injury for firefighters
title_fullStr	Heat transfer model to predict skin burn injury for firefighters
title_full_unstemmed	Heat transfer model to predict skin burn injury for firefighters
title_sort	heat transfer model to predict skin burn injury for firefighters
granting_institution	Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
granting_department	Faculty of Engineering - School of Mechanical Engineering
publishDate	2021
url	http://eprints.utm.my/id/eprint/101865/1/ZainaNorhallisZainolPSKM2021.pdf.pdf
_version_	1776100790163734528

Heat transfer model to predict skin burn injury for firefighters

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