Water vapour transmission behaviour of the outer layer of multilayer thermal protective clothing

Ergonomics plays a significant role in fabric preparation, ensuring that the work environment, equipment and tasks are designed to enhance worker comfort, safety and efficiency. The intricate process of water vapour movement through textile structures is controlled by several variables, e.g., openness, thickness and pore size of the fabric as well as the inherent fibre characteristics. This study investigates the effect of tank temperature, pick density of the shell layer and fan speed on the reduction in relative humidity in the microclimate of the shell layer of fire protective clothing. The Box-Behnken model is used to make predictions and analyse the results. Analyses were performed for 3D surface plots at 22, 32 and 42 pick density for various tank temperature and fan speed combinations. The model is statistically significant (<i>p</i> = 0.0007). The results can be used for design and development of thermal protective clothing.