INDIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, DELHI

DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

REPORT OF PROJECT SHORTLISTED UNDER SURA 2016

Project titled Fabrication and Characterization of Liquid Cooling Vest

Submitted by: Mohd. Babar

Name Department Entry No. Contact Details: Signature

Phone + Email

Ankit Jaipuria Mechanical Engineering 2015ME10634 +91-9560922272

ankitvipra@gmail.com

Mohd. Babar Mechanical Engineering 2015ME10110 +91-9654694787

mohdbabar876@gmail.com

Name of Facilitator - Dr. Supreet Singh Bahga

Department - Mechanical Department

Mobile Number - +91-8826173795

Name of Co-facilitator Dr. Rajiv Srivastava

Department Textile Engineering

Mobile Number - 011-26596680

Date of submission of report in IRD:

 Table of Contents
Table of Contents.............................................................................................................................i
List of Figures..................................................................................................................................ii
List of Tables....................................................................................................................................ii
1. Introduction.................................................................................................................................1
1.1 Present scenario and need for an active cooling system............................................................1
1.2 Review of Existing Technologies................................................................................................3
1.3 Research Gap.............................................................................................................................4
1.3.1 Evaporative cooling vest....................................................................................................4.
1.3.2 Phase change cooling vest.................................................................................................5
2. Proposed Design.........................................................................................................................6
3. Objectives....................................................................................................................................6
4. Methodology................................................................................................................................7
4.1 Device Fabrication.....................................................................................................................7
4.2 Device Optimisation ..................................................................................................................9
4.3 Thermal Characterisation ........................................................................................................10
4.3.1 Characterisation Methodology..........................................................................................10
4.3.1.1 Pump Power ..............................................................................................................10
4.3.1.2 Flexibility...................................................................................................................10
4.3.1.3 Data Acquisition System............................................................................................11
4.3.2 Characterisation Layout...................................................................................................12
4.3.3 Test Specifications............................................................................................................14
5. Calculations...............................................................................................................................15
5.1 Pump power calculation...........................................................................................................15
5.2Thermal efficiency calculation..................................................................................................15
6. Result and Discussion...............................................................................................................16
6.1 Prototype Analysis....................................................................................................................16
6.1.1 Tube A...............................................................................................................................16
6.1.2 Tube B...............................................................................................................................17
6.2 Comfort Analysis......................................................................................................................19
6.3 Final Product Analysis.............................................................................................................21
7. Potential Market.......................................................................................................................22
7.1 Device Cost..............................................................................................................................22
7.2 Target Consumers....................................................................................................................23
8. Conclusion and Scope for Future............................................................................................24
9. References .................................................................................................................................25

i
 List of Figures

Figure 1: Plot between skin temperature and the heat load...............................................................2

Figure 2: Proposed model for liquid cooling vest.............................................................................6
Figure 3: Schematic of the final device.............................................................................................7
Figure 4: (a), (b). Data Acquisition Module.....................................................................................11
Figure 4: (c) A/D convertor..............................................................................................................12
Figure 4: (d) DAQ setup...................................................................................................................12
Figure 5: Flowchart showing working of DAQ ...............................................................................12
Figure 6: Characterisation setup.......................................................................................................13
Figure 7: Data acquisition setup for inlet and outlet temperature measurement..............................13
Figure 8: Inlet and outlet temperature variation of tube A with operational time............................16
Figure 9: Heat Removal rate of tube A with time.............................................................................17
Figure 10: Inlet and outlet temperature variation of tube B with operational time...........................17
Figure 11: Heat Removal rate of tube B with time...........................................................................18
Figure 12: Difference in heat removal rates of the two prototypes with time...................................18
Figure 13: Final Jacket......................................................................................................................19
Figure 14: Data Acquisition setup for skin temperature measurement.........................................20
Figure 15: Skin temperature plot for a constant heat load of 60W...................................................20
Figure 16: Inlet and outlet temperature vs time for final jacket........................................................21
Figure 17: Heat removal vs time for final jacket...............................................................................22

List of Tables

Table 1. Metabolic rate at different activities..................................................................................3

Table 2. Review of existing technologies.......................................................................................4
Table 3: Material specifications.......................................................................................................8
Table 4: Silicon tube properties........................................................................................................8
Table 5: Data acquisition Module specifications.............................................................................11
Table 6: Tube specifications............................................................................................................16
Table 7. Initial condition measurements..........................................................................................21
Table 8: Cost of Consumable items.................................................................................................22
Table 9: Cost of non-consumable items...........................................................................................23
Table 10. Target consumers of liquid cooling vest variants.............................................................23

ii
1. Introduction
1.1 Present scenario and need for an active cooling system

Despite the growth of technology, not much development has been done in garments that help
in working in hostile and adverse conditions (very hot). Exposure to heat during working increases
stress level causing poor performance in work. The present scenario uses two ways to tackle the
above problem. Firstly, we use air conditioners to control the ambient temperature. However, air
conditioners consume 1-2 kWh of energy while our body radiates only about 0.1-0.2 kWh of
energy. As a result, a lot of energy is wasted. Secondly, heat protective suits are used to shield
against incoming radiation but it also impedes dissipation of metabolic heat due to work. Thus, we
need an efficient external cooling assistance to our circulatory system. Heat exchanger deals with
the addition of heat and increase in temperature of the fluid flowing in the form of circulating pipes
by an external source, and holds a promise for the development of effective liquid cooling system
by assembling a network of fluid-carrying pipes in a suitable vest. Heat exchanger systems in such
devices allow precise cooling through effective transfer of body heat to the flowing fluid. Cross
network of spiral tubes permits greater surface area to be in contact with the torso allowing better
heat exchange. Designing a cooling vest would provide a portable and cost-effective solution
against the adverse climate which would help people to do work efficiently without worrying about
the hostile external conditions. It would also help to save a lot of energy that is wasted by the use of
devices like air conditioners.

Coming to Indian economic scenario, given the developing transportation industry, the
number of bus, tractors, railway and local drivers have witnessed a huge increase in the recent
decade. Kotak and ICRA reports suggest an approximate 4.3 million tractors in operation and 1 in
every 20 households owned a tractor in 2011. With present tractor sales soaring above 200,000,
India produced 690,000 tractors accounting for 29% of the worlds output becoming the worlds
largest producer and market for tractors. Indian road transport industry has achieved no less, the
number of registered road vehicles showed tremendous increase each year with total (including all
states and union territories) road vehicles touching 160 million by 2012 (Statistical Year Book of
India 2016). The revenue from road transport (buses, taxis, cars, railways) reached 1 million crores
in the past 15 years. The army occupies a large number of military land vehicles such as battle
tanks, jeeps and trucks. The current strength of battle tanks is about 4500 units (2017), more than
80,000 stallion trucks, and more than 3 million armoured cars.
Clearly, the cooling requirements of such huge number of road vehicles cannot be met by
installing air conditioners in each locomotive. Thus, there is a need for a rational and economical
alternative for cooling in such vehicles during adverse conditions. Example, a lot of military cars
patrol the Rajasthan borders (deserts) during scorching summers and even the local bus and public
transport drivers, feel unbearable heat discomfort at times during summer noons. Active liquid
cooling vests provide cost effective, energy efficient, durable, environment-friendly, easy to use,
comfortable, portable and cheap means to tackle excessive heat through efficient use of ice water as
a coolant. The ice-box can be easily installed under the seat of the vehicles, powered by DC socket
available to provide efficient cooling with minimal energy consumption. The system can be used to
store chilled freshwater for extraction through waste water tap. Similarly, many farmers undergo
high heat stress while ploughing with tractors in hot summers. The liquid cooling system can
actively increase productivity as more farmers are encouraged to work in heat. Also, the cooling
vest is ideal for sportspersons for cooling down after workout. The jerseys can have detachable
coolant pipe network which can be used to cool off-field players.
Moreover, it will be understood that by simply providing the system of this invention with a
source of heat rather than a source of cold, the temperature of a person's body could be raised to a
temperature above that which it would normally have in any environment to which it is exposed.
1
This might be done for therapeutic purposes in a normal environment, for example, as well as for
maintaining normal body temperature in an extremely cold environment. The above property can be
utilised in hospitals for providing thermal comfort to sick patients. In fact, it is crucial for anybody
sensitive against high temperature fluctuations. The flow valve allows the user to adjust the flow for
individual thermal comfort.
Thermoregulation of the body is triggered by skin temperature variation above or below a
threshold difference from the body core temperature. An ideal thermal comfort clothing should
account for this comfortable range of skin temperatures crossing which, cause body
thermoregulation mechanisms to activate, namely: sweating, shivering, vasodilation, and
vasoconstriction. This range of thermal comfort before heat or cold discomfort is shown in the
below plot between skin temperature and heat load (fluctuates for different activities, see Table 1.)

Fig.1 Plot between skin temperature and the heat load. The plot shows the range of skin temperatures at
which the body is comfortable for a given heat load.
Sarkar, Soumyajit, and V. K. Kothari. "Cooling garmentsA review." Indian Journal of Fibre & Textile
Research (IJFTR) 39.4 (2014): 450-458.

The heat load in the above plot depends on the muscle exertion and workout. The muscles
convert 15% of energy into work and the rest 85% escapes as heat from the blood vessels into the
skin. This heat increases with the intensity of workout. Below section describes the heat load of a
human body at various activities.

Body Heat generation

The below table give the average heat rejected by body involved in various activities.
1 met (Metabolic rate unit) = 58.2 W/m

2
Table 1. Metabolic rate at different activities

Activity Metabolic rate unit Heat load W/m2

Reclining 0.8 46.64

Seated, quietly 1.0 58.3

Sedentary activity 1.2 69.96

Standing, relaxed 1.2 69.96

Light activity, standing (shopping, lab, light industry) 1.6 93.28

Medium activity, standing (shop assistant, domestic work, machine work) 2.0 116.6

High activity (heavy machine work, garage work) 3.0 174.9

1.2 Review of Existing Technologies

There a number of other cooling vests available in the market. Table 2 summarises the basic
features of the prevalent comfort clothing technologies namely: evaporative and phase change
cooling vests.

Both cooling vests (evaporative and phase change) have their own share of advantages and
disadvantages. The motivation for a different thermal comfort vest arose from the need to tackle the
limitations associated with both the vests. The proposed liquid cooling vest proved to be a versatile
device working in every weather (unlike evaporative vest which fails in rainy and humid
environment) and lighter than phase change cooling vests. They promise a full day operational
working time with flexible cooling system (flow control). It performs equally good in cold
conditions as well, while none of the above vests are for heating purposes. The liquid cooling vest
therefore, has an imminent edge over the two as it combines the benefits of both while avoiding
their major limitations. This convenience, however comes with a compromise in mobility. The vest
does lack in portability since it carries an additional weight of an extended system consisting of an
icebox, ice water and power supplied pump. This demerit, however can be partially solved by the
advent of wheels and by choosing appropriate target audience.
The working of liquid cooling vest is based on sensible body heat intake by coolant pumped by an
external power source (See 5. Thermal Characterisation). The heat transfer in evaporative and phase
change cooling vest is measured by the research methodology as given in section 1.3.

3
Table 2. Review of existing technologies
Type Evaporative Cooling Vest
Principle[6] Uses the principle of evaporative cooling.
Heat of evaporation of the water soaked in
the vest is removed from the body for
cooling effect.
Composition Outside layer: 100% Nylon
Middle layer: Water Soaking Fabric made
of cellulose fibers, bicomponent
binders, absorbent polymer fibers and
process aids
Inner Layer :100% Nylon, coated for
waterproofing.[9] (HyperKewl Vest)
Usage[10] Soak garment in cool water for 1-3
minutes, vest filled with 400-600ml water
to activate, gently squeeze out excess
water, wear, repeat steps, hang to dry,
wash with brush and soap.
Advantages[6] Low cost cooling system, fast and
effective, an easy to use renewable system,
uniform cooling, lightweight, non-toxic
and durable, offers many hours of cooling
relief and protection, Flexible and mobile
Disadvantages[6] Less functional in closed areas (less
ventilated rooms) and in monsoon seasons
due to high moisture content in the air (less
evaporation), fails on wearing another
layer of clothing, cooling rate cannot be
regulated, can make wearer uncomfortable
after some time, extracts heat at a
significantly lower rate (25-30W)
Manufacturing TechNiche-HyperKewl, Promolife,
Companies DryKewl
Market Athletes, military, pets, motorcyclists,
construction workers, porters
Cooling 2-3 days
Capacity
Weight 0.45kg (1.1kg after soaking)
1.3 Research Gap
1.3.1 Evaporative Cooling Vest
Although evaporation from wet clothing is very effective in cooling the body, it less efficient
than evaporation from the skin because some of the heat may be drawn from the environment. Thus
E, the evaporative heat loss from the body as a term in heat balance, is less than E, the heat of
Phase Change Vest
It is loaded with packs of ice or solid
coolant and thermal comfort is achieved
through heat extraction from the body as
latent heat from the ice/PCM packs.
PCM - The composition comprises an
aqueous solution of nitrate (LiNO ) and
3
nitric acid (HNO ) with nucleation additive
3
such as carbon black, graphite, clay, green
clay or mixture. The vest is composed of
100% cotton with thermal liner[11]
(TechNiche phase change cooling vest)
Submerge PCM/Ice packet inserts in ice
water until solid. Return inserts into
garment pockets, wear, repeat steps as
needed (or use additional inserts for
continuous relief).
Works in every condition, high cooling
rate in high temperature environments,
PCM (Phase change material) is non-toxic,
non-flammable, durable, reusable, lighter
than water, portable and easy to use
Does not last long (3-4 hours), much
heavier due to additional coolant packs.
Since ice packs solidify at 32F / 0C, they
can cause tissue damage with prolonged
exposure to skin. The ice will melt and
produce condensation, leaving the wearer
uncomfortably wet (not for PCM). The
vest is bulky and has a strong potential to
sweat.
Flexifreeze, Ergodyne, Miracool,
TechKewl, Polar Products.
Industrial workers, medical conditions,
military combat gear, hazardous material
suits, mascot costumes.
4-5 hours
2.8-3kg
4
evaporation of water as measured by the loss in weight of the clothed body. Heat storage is
determined from the changes in skin and rectal temperature; metabolism, radiation and convection.
E is calculated by difference from the other terms in the heat balance equation.
Total heat transfer by the vest:

E=M-W+R+C-S (1)

Where, M = Heat produced in Metabolism, W = Heat lost in external work, R = Heat gained
from the environment by radiation, C = Heat gained from the environment by convection, S = Heat
stored in body, E = Heat lost from the body by evaporation.

1.3.2 Phase change cooling vest

The heat flow rate in phase change cooling vest is analysed mathematically using the
Enthalpy method.
Below results have been obtained using the following assumptions:
1. The PCM is initially in the solid phase, and the phase change temperature is constant.
2. The main mode of the PCM heat transfer is conduction, and the effect of natural convection at the
two-phase interface is considered negligible.
3. Compared to the length and width of the PCM, the thickness is relatively small so that we only
consider the heat transfer perpendicular to the skin surface. The melting process of the PCM is
simplified to the one-dimensional problem along the thickness direction.

For one-dimensional heat transfer in the PCM, the enthalpy equation can be obtained:
!" ! !" !+
= ) (2)
!# !% !% !#
where a is the thermal diffusivity of the PCM, ) is the liquid density of PCM, is latent heat of
fusion, is the liquid fraction of melt.
The thermal diffusivity is defined as:
a = keff/pccpc (3)
where pc is the density of the PCM, and cpc the specific heat of the PCM.
.++ = ) + (1 )3 (4)
where ) is the liquid state thermal conductivity and 3 is the solid state thermal conductivity

Initial boundary conditions

Three Boundary conditions required to solve enthalpy equation
Initially, PCM is solid, and its temperature is assumed at a certain temperature below the melting
point.
t=0, h(x,0) = scs(Ti Tm) , 0 = 0 (5)
where Ti is the initial temperature of the PCM.

The boundary condition of PCM body side at surface x=0 is

!"
|%9: = < (3 ) (6)
!%
where 1 is the heat transfer coefficient of the human side surface of the PCM, and Ts the skin
temperature covered with the PCM, T* is the current phase temperature of PCM.

The boundary condition of PCM environment side at surface x=L is

!"
|%9? = @ (A ) (7)
!%
where 2 is the heat transfer coefficient of the environment side surface of the PCM, and L the
thickness of the PCM, Ta is ambient temperature.

5
2. Proposed Design

Fig 2. Proposed model for liquid cooling vest.

Design Features

In the given setup, the length from one trough to the adjacent trough is defined as a single turn of
the pipe. The proposed design of the vest has 10 turns of pipe.
The proposed design has both the inlet and outlet pipe coming out from the left side of the vest
for easier setup of the device. The inlet and the outlet nozzles are drilled adjacent to each other at
top right corner of the icebox.
The flow rate of the inlet water can be regulated using the flow adjusting valve fixed to the inlet
nozzle at the top right corner of the icebox.
The vest is made of nylon fiber for heat insulation of the pipes from outside. The pipe is stitched
from the inside of a half-sleeved jacket for easy wear.
The setup uses an 18W, 12V submersible pump for pumping coolant through the vest. The
device can have two variants with the pump operating on AC and DC power source.
The tap is drilled at the bottom left corner of the icebox for drainage of outlet water after use.
Silicon tubes are used as pipes for flexibility and is able to retain mechanical properties at
extreme temperatures.

3. Objectives
Based on the review of existing technologies the objective is to produce a liquid cooling
based thermal comfort clothing customized for public convenience and cooling comfort. The
purpose of the project is to design, fabricate, and characterize a liquid cooling vest keeping in mind
the comfortable range in skin temperature vs heat load plot at different body heat emissions
(See Table 1).
The vest will use a flowing cooling fluid as an external circulatory system to regulate our
body temperature. Our vest will provide a simple, cost-effective and a portable solution against
extreme temperatures. We here summarize the major anticipated outcomes and intellectual
contributions of our work:

6
 Design a vest with extensive a network of cross-linked spiral pipes. The network would enable
guided fluid flow via capillary or pump action depending on the use.
Fabrication of two prototypes with different pipe thickness and testing using a characterization
setup.
Development of final product using the results drawn from prototype testing.
Thermal characterization of the vest via several tests.

4. Methodology
The final proposed device is made using the following methodology.
Study the thermo-regulation characteristics of the body.
Measure the temperatures of different regions of the torso using Thermocouple/Infrared gun and
subsequently determine the areas of high temperatures.
Derive the heat removal and piping density required in each region.
Designing the assembly of tubings embedded in the cloth using heat map.
Device fabrication through stitching the pipe along the design lines.
Development of three such prototypes with different parameters such as pipe density variations
and specifications.
Testing via characterization setup using data acquisition system to analyze the heat exchanging
capability and hence determining the thermal and overall efficiency of the vest.

Fig.3 Schematic of the final device. The front and back of the vest is shown. The two
ends of the pipes are connected to the reservoir and the pump respectively. The AC
submersible pump is powered by a plug point.

The AC pump is submersed inside the ice contained in the icebox. The circulated water from
the suit returns to separate compartment attached with the icebox.
For effective cooling, the vest must fit the person properly.

4.1 Device Fabrication

Specifications of various materials and tools used in device fabrication are summarised in the
table below.

7
Table 3. Material Specifications

Material Specifications Quantity

Insulated Icebox Aristoplast products private ltd. 25lt (6.6 Gallons) capacity. 1
Insulated body with polyurethene foam. Tough and impact
resistant interior
Valve Ball Valve, 180o crank angle limit, 1/4 BSP (British standard 1
pipe) thread to 5/16 brass ball valve shut off switch.
Nozzle[18] 10mm 1/4" Solid Brass Barbed Straight Hose Fitting Coupler 3
Connector Joint
Brass Reducing Female Hose Nipple-1/2 inch, 3/4 inch, 1 inch, 2 1
inches, 3 inch, Brass, Brand Super.
Tank nipple[18] Nominal size- 15mm, Bore-33mm, Height-67mm 2
Pipe Socket[19] Socket, 6mm (1/8") 316 Stainless Steel with BSP Female 3
Threads, rust resistant, rated 2100kPa at 20oC
Submersible Riybro company. AC-150-250V, 50Hz, 1Ph, 18W, Maximum 1
pump lifting height- 1.8m. Do not operate without water.
Jacket Pepe Jeans, Blue padded sleeveless jacket, Size- M, Nylon 1
composed
Drainage tap[20] Water Tank Drain Tap 3/4" BSP Fresh-Waste Fit 25mm Hose 1

In addition, a couple of rolls of Teflon (PTFE) tap was used to make the connections water
proof. We used silicone pipes as they give reasonable flexibility. Its properties are listed below.

Table 4. Properties of Silicone pipe

Properties of Silicone Pipe

Minimum Maximum

Density kg/m3 1100 2300

Bulk Modulus (GPa) 1.5 2

Youngs Modulus (GPa) 0.001 0.05

Shear Modulus (GPa) 0.0003 0.02

Tensile Strength (MPa) 2.4 5.5

Maximum service temperature (K) 500 560

Minimum service temperature (K) 200 225

Specific Heat (J/kg.K) 1050 1300

Thermal conductivity (W/m.K) 0.2 2.55

The tube diameter is typically few millimetres. Though smaller diameter gives good garment
flexibility, it requires increased pressure to push the liquid through the pipes and a lower heat
absorption capacity.

8
 Since a larger area needs to be cooled, a single, long pipe is stitched in multiple turns around
the inside of the jacket, adjusting the density of turns according to the cooling requirement of the
area.
Human body has different regions with different thermoregulation characteristics. Since heat
exchange depends on surface area, conductivity of tissue and local heat generation, different
cooling is required for different areas of the body. Therefore, we will adjust the spacing between the
parallel pipes for different heat requirements. For instance, spacing is less in the abdomen and more
in the chest region for better cooling effect. Water (instead of air) is used as a coolant due to higher
heat capacity and engineering advantages like reduced pumping power, lesser weight and lesser
bulk.

4.2 Device Optimization

There are many factors which effect the cooling efficiency of the device, some of which are listed
below:
Number of turns in the pipe
Pipe inner and outer diameter
Material of pipe
Spacing between the pipes
Fluid Storage
Pump power
Pump regulator

We prepared two prototypes with different pipe dimensions (See table 6.1 for tube
specifications).
The increase in inner diameter of pipe has the following positive effects:
1. Frictional power loss decreases

hf = 4 f l c2 (See 5.3.1.1 Pump Power, Frictional Power) (8)

d 2g
as d (pipe diameter) increases, frictional head loss decreases.

2. Volume flow rate increases

By Bernoullis equation, for a constant pressure head supplied by the pump,

BC D
Ppump = + (9)
@
At constant height, the velocity remains same. Since,
Q = A.v (10)
as area of cross-section increases, Q (volume flow rate) increases.

This increase in inner diameter and thickness, however, has negative feedback on flexibility.
Low flexibility of pipe restricts the number turns of pipe and user comfort of the vest. Thickness
reduces heat conduction due to higher thermal resistance and hence is undesirable, however, thin
pipe compromises strength and increases wear and tear failure.

Two prototypes were fabricated with tube A and tube B (See Table 6. for tube specifications
and their inlet, outlet temperatures and heat withdrawn is plotted with time of operation. Then the
difference between heat removed by the two prototypes is plotted to decide the better cooling
performance tube. The results of above optimisation operation are shown in Results and
Discussions (Section 6.1- Prototype analysis).

9
4.3 Thermal Characterization

4.3.1 Characterization Methodology

4.3.1.1 Pump Power

Frictional Power
The Darcy equation gives the head loss in turbulent flow for a circular pipe.
hf = 4 f l . c2 (11)
d 2g
Where:
f is the friction factor
l is the length of pipe being consider
d is the pipe diameter
c is the mean velocity of the fluid
The friction factor f depends on the velocity of flow, the pipe diameter, the fluid density and
viscosity and the roughness of the pipe.
In order to calculate losses for a larger range of Reynolds numbers and pipe roughness we
need to use the Moody Chart. This is a graph of the friction factor f against Reynolds numbers for
various values of k/d, where k is a measure of the wall roughness and d is the pipe diameter.
From the Moody chart, there are 3 regions which can be considered when attempting to gain a value
for f.
1. Laminar flow f = 16/Re (Up to Re = 2000) (12)
2. For pipe roughness k/d value less than 0.001, the Blasius equation
f = 0.0079 (13)
Re1/4
3. For high k/d values or high Reynolds numbers we need to use the
appropriate k/d value and Reynolds number on the chart.
Re = c d / (14)
Power to maintain flow = Q g hf (15)

Hydraulic Power
The hydraulic power which is also known as absorbed power, represents the energy imparted
on the fluid being pumped to increase its velocity and pressure. The hydraulic power may be
calculated using the formula below
Ph = Qgh (16)
Where, Ph = Hydraulic Power of the pump.
Efficiency of Pump = Pf + Ph (17)
Pm
Pm = Motor Power Rating (18W)

4.3.1.2 Flexibility

The stiffness of a pipe is defined as:

G JK
PS = = (18)
I :.<MNO P
Where, E = Youngs Modulus
= Deflection in axial direction
I = Area moment of Inertia of the pipe per unit length
r = Mean radius of the pipe
Taking I = (@ M < M )/4 (19)

10
Flexibility = 1/PS (20)

4.3.1.3 Data Acquisition System

In this project, we have made an extensive use of ADAM DAQ system to measure the
temperatures of water and pipe at the inlet and the outlet by fixing ADAM 4118 Module with 4
thermocouples on any four channels out of 8.

Table 5. Data acquisition module specifications

Specifications

General Power consumption 0.5W @24V DC

Operating Temperature 40~85C

Analog Input Channels 8 Differential

Voltage Range 15 mV 50 mV 100 mV 500 mV 1 V 2.5 V

Current Input 20 mA 4~20 mA

Direct Sensor Input J, K, T, E, R, S, B Thermocouple

Sampling Rate 10/100 samples/second

Resolution 16 bit

Input Impedance Voltage: 20 MOhm Current: 120Ohm

Fig.4 (a), (b). Data Acquisition Module

The DAQ used consisted of a 12V DC supply box, Data Acquisition ADAM 4118 Module, an
A/D converter ADAM 4561 (as shown below) and an USB cable connecting the converter to CPU.

11
Fig.4 (c). A/D Converter Fig.4 (d). DAQ Setup

The thermocouples are fixed on the screws marked Vin 0+ (copper end) and Vin 0- (The
copper-nickel end) and so on to other channels on the Data Acquisition Module (here ADAM
4118). The positive (here red wire) and negative wires (here black wire) connect the module to the
converter ie. DATA (+) to TX DATA (+) and DATA (-) to TX DATA (-) as shown in fig.2.1(d).

The data acquisition works on the principle simply shown by the flowchart below

Fig.5 Flowchart showing analog signal input through DAQ system to obtain digital signals processable by
computer into data values in excel sheet and plots.

4.3.2 Characterization Layout

Characterization and testing of cooling vests was done using the setup shown in fig.6. The
mass of ice, water in icebox and the initial temperature of the water are measured. The inlet and
outlet temperature of water from the pipes are recorded using data acquisition. For each second of
12
operation, the thermocouples send the temperature signals which get processed by the module and
the adapter digitizes the analog for computerised storage.
We arranged the setup as shown in the below diagram and configure the data acquisition
system with four thermocouples fixed to the DAQ Module. Total of 17397 data signals were
recorded at 1000 samples per second. The ADAM apax.net software data area shows the
temperature signals in all of these channels.

Fig.6 Characterisation setup.

Fig.7 Data acquisition setup for inlet and outlet temperature measurement

The following parameters are measured:

Inlet and the outlet: water and pipe temperatures.
Volume of water collected in the measuring cylinder.
Input pump power
Time response
Skin temperature at various regions of the torso

13
 The inlet temperature is held fixed at 0oC (by keeping ice in the icebox) and the outlet
temperature is measured (using a Thermocouple) with respect to time. The outlet follows into a
measuring cylinder which keeps track of volume of water flow. The volume flow rate is calculated
(Volume in the cylinder/Time taken to fill) using which heat removal is determined.
Mass flow rate = rQ (21)
Heat capacity (C)
Assuming 100 per cent insulation by the outer layer, heat removal by the tubes:
h = rQCT (22)
Where T is the temperature difference between the inlet and the outlet water.
The device will be tested on the basis of:
Heat removal per unit power input to the pump (Efficiency).
Amount of heat removed in a given time interval.
Skin temperature at different regions of the body; lower the temperature, better the vest.

Various device optimization techniques will affect the characterization results. For example,
the time required to remove a given amount of heat by using a bigger pump can be reduced, but at
the cost of reduced efficiency of the system. Hence, we need to strike out a balance between
improving the efficiency and the time required to remove given heat.

Total heat absorbed by the coolant (Hc):

Mice.Lfusion + (Mwater.T)final - (Mwater .T)initial (23)

Total heat absorbed by the body Hb = rQCT (24)

Pump energy used = Pf . t = Hp (25)
Thermal efficiency = Hb / Hc (26)
VW XVY
Total Efficiency: (27)
VZ

4.3.3 Test specifications

All data is given with respect to the initial conditions:

Initial mass of ice: 6.5kg at 0 and
mass of water:4.5kg at 28.7
Room temperature: 34
Total time tested: 5 hours

Minimum temperature achieved: 6

Average vest running time: 6-7 hours
Total heat absorbed from body: 1827.255 kW
Average Heat rate
During the first 3 hours: 112 W
During the first 3 hours: 112 W
Average Pipe temperature
During the first 4 hours: 27
The next 1 hour: 28.5

14
5. Calculations

5.1 Pump Power Calculation

Diameter of test pipe = 6mm

Area of cross section of pipe (At) = 2.827 x 10-5 m2 ( r2)
Height of the test pipe = 0.415m
Length of the pipe (L) = 0.433m
gh = 4071.5
Measured Volume flow rate (Q) = 7.246 x 10-6 m3/s
Velocity of flow (c) = Q/ At = 0.2563 m/s
Hydraulic Power (Ph) = 0.0295W (Ph = Qgh)
Frictional Power = 5.7255 x 10-4W
Rated Power = 18W
Pump Efficiency = 0.1638 %

5.2 Thermal Efficiency Calculation

Mass of ice(kg) = 6.496

Mass of water(kg) = 3.59
Initial temperature of water(C) = 32
Final temperature of water(C) = 20.2
Heat change in water(kW) = -177.07316
Heat change in ice(kW) = 2718.1602
Total Heat content absorbed(kW) = 2541.087
Total Heat absorbed by body(kW) = 1827.255
Time of operation = 17403s

Thermal Efficiency = 71.908 %

Electricity used = Pump power * time of operation = 313.254 kW
Total Power used = 2854.341 kW
Total Efficiency = 64.0167 %

Hydraulic power supplied to the fluid = Pump power*Efficiency - Friction power loss
Friction power loss:
D (diameter of pipe) = 4mm
Q = 2.08 x 10-6 m3/s
Ac = 1.2566 x 10-5 m2/s
c = 0.1655 m/s
v (dynamic viscosity) = 1.307
Re = c.D/ = 506.58 (laminar)
f = 16/Re
Head loss by friction (h ) = 0.5732 (hf = 4 f l x c2)
f

d 2g
Friction power loss = 0.011248W
Hydraulic power used = 0.51311 - 0.0112 x 10-3 kW
= 0.51309 kW
Hence energy used = 2541.6 kW
Efficiency = 71.89 %

15
 6. Results and Discussion

6.1 Prototype Analysis

Flexibility values of both the pipes (Tube A and B) are summarised in the table below:
(See 5.3.1.2 Flexibility)

Table 6. Tube specifications

Inner Diameter (I.D.) Outer Diameter (O.D) Volume Flow rate Stiffness Flexibility
(mm) (mm) (ml/s)
Tube A 6mm 10mm 2.697 0.044781E 22.33/E
Tube B 4mm 7mm 2.688 0.033963E 29.44/E

Using the data from characterization done on the prototypes separately, the plots of inlet and
outlet temperatures and heat exchange (W) with respect to time are given as follows:
(The heat exchange rate as given by calculations: h = rQCT)

6.1.1 Tube A

i. Inlet and Outlet Temperature

Inlet Outlet

25

20
TEMPERATURE(oC)

15

10

0
10.10
13.47
16.83
20.20
23.57
26.93
30.30
33.67
42.00
45.37
48.73
52.10
55.47
58.83
62.22
65.58
68.95
72.32
75.68
79.05
82.42
85.78
89.15
92.52
95.88
99.25
102.62
105.98
109.35
112.72
116.08
119.45
122.82
126.18
0.00
3.37
6.73

TIME (MIN)
Fig. 8 Inlet and outlet temperature variation of tube A with operational time

ii. Heat transfer rate (W)

16
 i.

ii.
Temperature(oC) HEAT TRANSFER (W)

0
5
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90

10
15
20
25
0.00 0.00

6.1.2 Tube B
1.35 3.37
2.70 6.73
4.05 10.10
5.40 13.47
6.75 16.83
8.10 20.20
9.45 23.57
10.80 26.93
12.15 30.30
13.50 33.67

Heat exchange (W) with time

14.85 42.00
16.20 45.37
17.55 48.73

Fig. 9 Heat removal rate of tube A with time

18.90 52.10

Inlet and Outlet temperature with time

20.25 55.47

Outlet temperature
21.60 58.83
22.95 62.22
24.30 65.58
25.65 68.95

Time (Min)
27.00 72.32
Heat rate(in W)

75.68
TIME (MIN)
28.35
29.70 79.05
31.05 82.42
32.40 85.78
33.75 89.15
35.10 92.52

Fig. 10 Inlet and outlet temperature variation of tube A with operational time
95.88

Inlet Temperature
36.45
37.80 99.25
39.15 102.62
40.50 105.98
41.85 109.35
43.20 112.72
44.55 116.08
45.90 119.45
47.25 122.82
126.18

17
 HEAT EXCHANGE RATE(W)
90

80
HEAT EXCHANGE (W)

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0
10.80
12.15
13.50
14.85
16.20
17.55
18.90
20.25
21.60
22.95
24.30
25.65
27.00
28.35
29.70
31.05
32.40
33.75
35.10
36.45
37.80
39.15
40.50
41.85
43.20
44.55
45.90
47.25
0.00
1.35
2.70
4.05
5.40
6.75
8.10
9.45

TIME (MIN)

Fig. 11 Heat removal rate of tube B with time

From the Inlet and outlet temperature plots, it is evident that both increase with time and in-
between gap tends to reduce over time. Heat rate also decreases with time as the ice fuses and water
temperature rises inside the icebox. The area under heat rate vs time indicates total heat derived
from the body in the given experiment time.

Now, to decide which prototype involves a greater heat exchange, values of difference in heat
transfer() between Tube B and Tube A are recorded keeping initial ice mass (5.5kg), initial
water quantity (4.5kg) and temperature(10.1oC) and working time of device (48.2 min)
approximately same. This = ] ^ is plotted with time as shown below:

Fig. 12 Difference in heat removal rates of the two prototypes with time.
18
 It can be concluded that prototype with tube B proves to be a better choice due to the
following factors:
1. Tube B has better flexibility (table 6.1). This tube will can be stitched with ease and cause less
trouble to the user as it can conform with the contours of the jacket. This also helps in realising
more number of turns leading to higher heat exchange rate.
2. The plot showing (Fig.) clearly indicates higher cooling performance of tube B as
is found positive for whole time range of the experiment. The area under the curve gives the
total additional heat derived by the tube B over A.

The pump power being same (operated within same time frame), tube B derives more heat
than tube A, hence becomes an obvious choice for the final product fabrication.
The final piping network was done using the one used in second prototype (4mm ID and 7mm OD)
on inside of the jacket which was thermally insulated:

Fig. 13 Final Jacket stitched using 10m of tube B. Inlet and outlet junctions left on the left side of the vest

6.2 Comfort Analysis

Skin temperature of the chest was recorded during characterisation and the following readings
were observed:
Minimum skin temperature: 31.4oC
Maximum skin temperature: 33.1oC
Heat load assumed as 60% (torso region rejects maximum amount of heat) of the average human
metabolic rate(100W) = 60W

19
Fig.14 Data acquisition setup for skin temperature measurement

Fig.15 Skin temperature plot for a constant heat load of 60W. The observed skin temperature range lies
mostly inside the comfort region.

The skin temperature plot with respect to heat load showed that some of the data points lay
inside the cold discomfort region. Since the testing is done using maximum volume flow rate, the
valve can be adjusted to reduce flow for better comfort. The range shows that the operational time

20
 of the device is higher than the testing time (5hr) as the range extends midway inside the comfort
region.
The above result can be used to generalise the statement that the skin temperature lies
approximately inside the comfort region for any heat load.

6.3 Final product analysis

The final jacket design used 13m of silicon pipe (10m inside the jacket and rest 3m to connect
the icebox).

Table 7. Initial condition measurements

Time of Initial ice mass(kg) Initial water mass(kg) Initial inlet temperature Volume flow
operation (hr) (oC) rate (ml/s)
5 6.5 4.5 7.6 2.08

i. Inlet and outlet temperature with time

Inlet and Outlet Temperature

30

25
Temperature (oC)

20

15

10

0
104.87
112.93
121.00
129.07
137.13
145.20
153.27
161.33
169.40
177.47
185.53
193.60
201.67
209.73
217.80
225.87
233.95
242.05
250.17
258.23
266.30
274.38
282.45
0.00
8.07
16.13
24.20
32.27
40.33
48.40
56.47
64.53
72.60
80.67
88.73
96.80

Time (Min)

Inlet Outlet

Fig. 16 The above plot shows the temperature variation of the coolant(water) during the operation, it took about
5h to raise the temperature of 11kg Ice(6.5kg)-Water(4.5kg) mixture from about 6 to 21.

21
ii. Heat rate (W) with time

HEAT TRANSFER(W)
140

120
HEAT TRANSFER (W)

100

80

60

40

20

0
16.13
24.20
32.27
40.33
48.40
56.47
64.53
72.60
80.67
88.73
96.80
104.87
112.93
121.00
129.07
137.13
145.20
153.27
161.33
169.40
177.47
185.53
193.60
201.67
209.73
217.80
225.87
233.95
242.05
250.17
258.23
266.30
274.38
282.45
0.00
8.07

TIME (MIN)

Fig. 17 The above graph shows the heat exchange rate of the jacket. The heat rate was nearly constant till 2.5h
thus giving a uniform cooling overtime. The cooling was still effective till about 4.5h with just 11 kg of coolant
mixture.

Thermal efficiency = Total Heat absorbed by body(kW)/Total Heat content absorbed(kW)

= 71.89%
Total efficiency = Total Heat absorbed by body(kW)/Total energy used(kW)
= 64.02%

7. Potential Market

7.1 Device Cost

The cost of the cooling vest including both consumables and non-consumables is given as below.

Table 8. Cost of consumable items

Consumable Items Price (INR)

Jacket (Nylon) 1450

Ice Box 1250

Silicon Pipe (15m) 1000

Plumbing materials (Nozzle, Tank Nipple, Socket, Teflon tape, Nipple) 1000

Pump 150
22
 Electrical Wires 100

Total 4950

Table 9. Cost of Non-consumable items

Non-Consumables Cost (INR)

Stitching Pipes into the vest 1300

Plumbing Services 600

Total 1900

The final cost in making the vest prototype is Rs.6850.

The final manufacturing cost will much less than the cost of above prototype since all
equipment and services will charge less per device on bulk order. Assuming reduction of all
consumable and non-consumable item cost by half, Rs.25/piece assembly cost of labour and
Rs.50/piece as margin for entrepreneur, the final manufacturing cost of the liquid cooling vest is
Rs.3500.

7.2 Target consumers

The potential consumers of the product vary according to the occupation and work
environment. Based on working conditions, the vest can be made available in two different models.

Table 10. Target consumers of liquid cooling vest variants

AC powered cooling vest DC powered cooling vest

This cooling device requires a common AC
source for power, e.g. office and residential
rooms. This model is for people who usually
work in offices and homes where a 220V AC
power is available and the work is confined to
a place and dont move around a lot. This
model consists of an external ice box and a
submersible pump plugged to an AC source.
Office and residential areas, Patients in
hospitals, hotels and lodges, cool down after
physical activity or sports. etc.
This model is for consumers like tractors and
automobile driver having a DC socket. They can
have the cooling system installed in the automobiles
and can wear the vest while driving. This device
requires a DC source for the pump to operate. Since
battery provides a DC current, the device can be
plugged to an external battery (a 12V battery can
suffice) and can be carried along (mobile).
Bus, taxi and railway drivers, Tractors in farms,
School children and students in the form of portable
backpacks, pets, military vehicles etc.

Both vests are suitable for cold climate applications (replacing ice water by hot water)

23
8. Conclusion and Scope for Future

The final product has a decent cooling capacity with a heat exchange rate under comfort zone.
The jacket is comfortable and has a good fit. It has a thermal efficiency of 71.9% and overall
efficiency of 64.01%. The device comes three variants namely, AC, DC and battery powered vests
for different operational and occupational conditions. This type of active cooling system has high
cooling capacity (heat removal rate much higher than ideal human metabolic rate) and adjustable
flow for thermal comfort. Since the characterisation was performed with no insulation of the
connecting pipes and nozzles as well as exposed ice-box (for data acquisition), the actual device has
higher efficiency and operational time (fill ice water once and works whole day). Cools the core
(chest and back) thus designed for maximum heat exchange. Comfortable and easy to use, the vest
can be easily plugged to the ice box via the input and the output nozzles. It is apt for all weather
conditions (works in humid conditions and cold environment as well) and lies in the comfort range
of skin temperatures.

There are various methods by which the device can be optimized for better efficiency,
portability and compatibility.
A valve can be attached at both ends of the pipe to prevent outflow of water if connection is
broken at the entry or the exit nozzles e.g. a phase 2 pneumatic valve. This allows flexibility to the
person wearing the device and eradicates the trouble to pump out water from the vest before
leaving. The person can now detach the device and the valve will prevent the further flow by
blocking the end.
The scope for improving the portability of the device depends on the model.
For DC/AC powered vest the icebox can be drilled for wheels when shifting.
For battery(DC) model, the ice box enclosing the pump is fit into a backpack and can be
carried easily to other places.
The crank valve can be automated to adjust the coolant flow rate according to the heat load
of body in various activities (table) and thermal comfort at different temperatures.
For portability, additional wheels can be installed on the rear surface and a suitable handle to move
the setup around.
We could improve the efficiency by improving the insulation at the connections. Moreover, a
thermally insulated backpack can be designed which could carry the coolant and using a DC pump
we could make the vest portable.
The device may also be used to discharge chilled freshwater through drainage tap when
required.
Better insulation can be provided to the pipes attaching the vest and the icebox e.g. An
insulating tape is wound on the pipes to reduce heat removal from the surroundings.
Another modification of the design can be made by incorporating an inner vest capable of
evaporative cooling and protecting the inner ware from water droplets formed on the outer surface
of the pipe due to condensation. This way the cooling capacity of the vest is enhanced as water
droplets condensed from the pipes is taken up by the inner evaporative cloth and is released into the
surrounding air as water vapour, thus taking heat from the body as latent heat of vaporization. The
water as in the case of a simple evaporative cooling vest runs out and has to be soaked again in cool
and fresh water. On the contrary, the water in the above model never runs out and the body gets
cooled by both evaporation and the pipes. Example, jerseys like those worn by football players
during cool down can be stitched on the inside and can work as an evaporative vest.
In the current design tap water is used as the coolant but we could improve the coolant quality
by adding some salts or using a different coolant to increase the cooling per kg of fluid.

24
 9. References

1. Achom, Debanish. Trials On For AC Jackets For Indian Special Forces: Manohar Parrikar.
NDTV.com, Sonia Singh, 20 Aug. 2017, www.ndtv.com/india-news/air-conditioned-jackets-for-
soldiers-undergoing-trials-manohar-parrikar-1739612.
2. Efficiency of evaporative cooling from wet clothing. F N Craig, J T Moffitt Journal of Applied
Physiology Mar 1974, 36 (3) 313-316.
3. Cornell University Ergonomics Web; DEA3500: Ambient Environment: Thermal Conditions,
http://ergo.human.cornell.edu/studentdownloads/DEA3500notes/Thermal/thcondnotes.html
4. Cooling Vest, Polar Products Web 13 Oct 2017
http://www.polarproducts.com/polarshop/pc/Cooling-Vests-c431.htm
5. Pump Power Calculation, Neutrium Web
https://neutrium.net/equipment/pump-power-calculation/
6. Mitoaction, Cooling vest variants, Web 13 Oct 2017
http://www.mitoaction.org/red-tape/keeping-your-cool-cooling-vest-types-sources-financial-
assistance
7. Head Loss Due to Friction in A Circular Pipe, Head Academy Word Document
https://www.heacademy.ac.uk/.../case-study-teaching-material-headloss-friction_0.doc
8. Advantech Companies, Data Acquisition module 4118 specifications, Web. 13 Oct 2017
http://www.advantech.eu/products/data_acquisition_modules/adam-4118/mod_3e990f4c-d5c1-
4b1a-9cdc-8281e984e1eb
9. Evaporative cooling vest, HyperKewl, Techniche International, Web. 21 Oct 2017
http://www.techniche-intl.com/technologies/hyperkewl/
10. Ergodyne companies, Evaporative cooling vest 6685, Web. 13 Oct 2017
https://www.ergodyne.com/cooling/evaporative/chill-its-6685-dry-evaporative-cooling-vest.html
11. Techniche company, Phase change cooling vest specifications, Web 13 Oct 2017
http://www.techniche-intl.com/perch/resources/documents/6529-product-spec-sheet-word-
template.dotx.pdf
12. Hybrid Ultra cooling vest, North American Pride, Web. 6 Oct 2017
http://www.northamericanpride.com/cooling/evaporative-cooling-vests/hybrid-ultra-sport-cooling-
vest
13. Dominic Tessier Louis Bibeau, Patent WO2015176184 A1, Aanvraag, PCT/CA2015/050456,
Phase change material composition and uses thereof US 62/000,752, 26 nov 2015.
14. Silicone Rubber Properties, AZoM.com, Azo Materials Web, Sep 25 2001
https://www.azom.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=920
15. Definition of Flexibility, Engineering-Dictionary.org Web, 10 Oct 2017
http://www.engineering-dictionary.org/Materials-Science-andamp;-Engineering-
Dictionary/Poisson/A/AM/A/AM/A/Flexibility
15. Pipe Stiffness, Info Series, Ranker Materials Web 11 Oct 2017
http://www.rinkerpipe.com/TechnicalInfo/files/InfoBriefs/IS202PipeStiffness.pdf
16. EA Arens and H Zhang, Center for Built Environment 2006, escholarship.org, University of
California Berkeley USA, A skins role in human thermoregulation and discomfort.pdf
17. Sarkar, Soumyajit, and V. K. Kothari. "Cooling garmentsA review." Indian Journal of Fibre &
Textile Research (IJFTR) 39.4 (2014): 450-458.
18. Nozzle specifications, Web 19 Oct 2017
http://www.superpneumatic.com/brass-pipe-fittings.html#brass-reducing-female-hose-nipple
19. Female brass reducing hose nipple Web 19 Oct 2017
http://www.ebay.in/itm/222551247168?aff_source=Sok-Goog
20. HB group, Tank nipple specifications, Web 19 Oct 2017
http://hbgroup.in/hb_pipe/tank-nipple/
21. Waste water tap specifications, Web 19 Oct 2017
25
 http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Water-Tank-Drain-Tap-3-4-BSP-Fresh-Waste-Fit-25mm-Hose-
Motorhome-Caravan-Boat-/272818998634
22. Indian Tractor Industry, ICRA India (2012), Web 19 Oct 2017
www.icra.in
23. Wikipedia contributors. "Tractors in India." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free
Encyclopedia, 6 Oct. 2017. Web.19 Oct. 2017
24. Motor Vehicles- Statistical Year Book of India 2016, Government of India Ministry of Statistics
and Programme Implementation, Number of Motor vehicles registered in India (Taxed and Tax
exempted) and Revenue from road transport, Web. 19 Oct. 2017

26