Natick, Mass. April 13, 2023 | A new article has been published on the collaboration between Oceanit and the U.S. Army DEVCOM Soldier Center, also known as the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Soldier Center, on advanced liquid cooling garments (LCGs), as part of DEVCOM’s effort to improve soldier protection and performance.
A healthy human body maintains an internal temperature of approximately 37°C (98.6°F) that will fluctuate with time of the day, level of physical activity, and emotional state. An increase in core body temperature of more than 1°C should only occur during illness, but can happen when environmental conditions become extreme. Oceanit-designed LCGs were created to support warriors from the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) and the U.S. Army Acquisition Support Center (USAASC) Air Warrior group, who operate in extreme conditions on a regular basis.
When core temperature climbs too high, abnormal temperatures can induce dehydration, decreased physical performance, and decreased brain function. For the past several years, Oceanit has worked with DEVCOM SC to fine-tune Thermocore® liquid cooling technology to deliver next-generation performance in personal cooling for Army personnel.
“The newly developed thermally conductive flame-resistant cooling vest, Liquid Cooling Garment, is significantly — nearly 30 percent — more efficient in extracting body heat than the currently fielded ECV, and the new garment is 15 percent lighter,” said Joe Salmeron, a project engineer at DEVCOM SC. “With a higher heat extraction rate, warfighters are likely to have reduced thermal burden. This could lead to carrying fewer batteries and allow more time for mission execution.”
Thermocore® vests were tested by DEVCOM SC and the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine (USARIEM), key partners in the development of the novel LCGs. Teams in Natick, MA conducted thermal manikin testing and modeling simulations to measure physiological thermal burden.
Read the full story on the U.S. Army’s website by clicking here.
Read more about Oceanit’s Liquid Cooling Garments by clicking here.
