DEVELOPMENT OF A DUAL-STAGE COOLING GARMENT UTILIZING LIQUIFIED CARBON DIOXIDE

Emergency-responders, soldiers, industrial workers, and athletes are often required to work in hot environments, usually while encumbered with heavy protective gear. These individuals are especially susceptible to heat-stress. The mental and physiological symptoms can result in severely impaired performance, which can be disastrous in a dangerous environment. Porticos, Inc. proposes to develop a Personal Cooling System (PCS) that will efficiently transfer body-heat to the surrounding environment in a controlled and adjustable manner. The PCS, envisioned as an upper-body garment, is based on the use of a liquified atmospheric gas as both a thermal accumulator and a mass-transport cooling medium. Preliminary thermodynamic calculations indicate that all HSARPA performance goals are achievable by implementing the system described in this proposal. Porticos will demonstrate technical feasibility and complete an engineering design based on the PCS concept.