Evaluation of Cooling Techniques for Personal Cooling Garments in Hot and Humid Climates

Abstract

Personal cooling garments have become a major requirement to cater thermal discomfort, caused mainly due to the rise in global temperatures. Various cooling techniques have been used for specific applications, mainly focused on thermal protection than thermal comfort. Thermoelectric cooling, phase change materials, and evaporative cooling techniques were selected and further analyzed through mathematical modeling to assess their suitability for personal cooling garments. Phase change materials can provide 2 hours of cooling using 46 capsules, while evaporative cooling can provide cooling for 36.1 minutes and thermoelectric cooling can provide continuous cooling. The study concluded that a combination of thermoelectric cooling with phase change materials could remove required heat from the top part of the body which is emitted during medium level activities. Two circuits, each with three Peltier modules of the TEC1-127 series supplied with a direct current of 1.5A and supplied voltage of 9V could provide efficient heat pumping ability, with the coefficient of performance of 1.17 each. The macro capsules with eicosane as the core material act as the heat sink when used in combination with thermoelectric modules. Hence, it concludes that a combination of thermoelectric modules with phase change materials integrated into a personal cooling garment could effectively provide the required thermal comfort.