Thermal Resistance Properties of Paratrooper Clothing

Combat free fall paratroopers’ (CFF) protective clothing, comprising of non-woven insulating material, inherently flame retardant Nomex fabric and cotton fabric combinations are studied under simulated conditions of conduction and sweat using Thermolobo-II technique. The results show that Non—woven insulating materials exhibit high thermal resistance in dry contact method under moderate wind velocity, whereas the thermal resistance values measured under wet conditions is significantly lower. The effect of air layer thickness, permeability and other important parameters, such as porosity, surface area have also been considered and correlated to assess the overall performance of protective clothing ensemble.