Enhanced Personal Cooling Technology for Soldiers

Soldiers conducting multi-hour missions in regions where extreme heat or humidity is present are susceptible to thermal related injuries such as dehydration and heat stress. Thermal injuries such as these can diminish the soldier’s cognitive function and impair mission objectives leading to reduced operating times to reduce exposure in these extreme ambient temperature conditions. Active thermal management is needed to cool and better regulate soldier’s core body temperature. RINI Technologies has been developing the Lightweight Environmental Control System (LWECS) for the US ARMY’s Air Soldier Program to provide thermal protection to aircrew members operating in hot weather ambient (125°F). In the proposed Sequential Phase II (SPII) program, RINI intends to provide extended capabilities for the LWECS control system as well as address deficiencies which were identified in the LWECS Qualification test program and are needed to fully satisfy the ARMY’s specification. The proposed enhancements include Wireless Thermostatic Control, Evaporator sub-assembly reliability improvements, the investigation of using alternate refrigerants to increase cooling performance, and the an engineering evaluation of whether the refrigeration system could eliminate the water loop in order to improve the Size, Weight and Power (SWaP) metrics of the LWECS.