Heat transfer through fabrics as related to thermal injury.

Heat is transferred through fabrics by convection, conduction, and radiation and, under certain circumstances, by vaporization. Each mode is subject to different physical principles, but the effect of the total heat absorbed by underlying skin is the same: If the resultant skin temperature rise is sufficiently high and maintained sufficiently long, injury results. The extent of injury is predicted under certain controlled conditions, and these conditions may be used to disclose protection principles appropriate to each mode of transfer.