Simulation of Human Thermoregulatory Reponses to Micro-Cooling in Hot Environments

Situations occur where individual cooling is desirable to reduce heat injury and improve productivity. Simulation of human responses while wearing possible micro-cooling systems can assist planning and shorten their development. A thermo-physiological model modified for micro-cooling was developed to predict body temperatures, other physiological parameters, and discomfort in hot environments. The micro-cooling simulated was: 1) uniform whole body cooling under clothing, 2) cooling of upper torso with a water cooled vest under clothing and 3) cooling of upper torso with an air cooled vest under clothing. The modeling suggests upper torso cooling above 200 watts can cause vasoconstriction reducing the effectiveness of greater cooling.