Design and Evaluation of a Three-Zone Thermal Manikin Head,

Abstract : A thermal model of a human head was constructed that has three zones: the scalp, face and a small forehead/ears zone. The surface temperature and heat loss from each zone are individually controlled and monitored by a computer. Because it has independent zones, the three-zone thermal manikin head can provide more accurate measurements of the thermal insulation of hats, helmets and face masks. Single-zone thermal manikin heads measure the effective thermal resistance of the whole head, which usually includes large areas not covered by the item in question. Heat transfer from the entire manikin head was measured in a wind tunnel at wind speeds up to 7.3 m/s (26 km/h). The results compared favourably with whole head heat transfer from the head segment of other thermal manikins and from the human head. An equation was derived to describe the effect of wind on heat loss. The radiative heat transfer coefficient was also determined.