Modeling of an Innovative Nitrogen-Free Cryotherapy Device

Fabien Beaumont,Guillaume Polidori,Hassen Hakim,Sébastien Murer,Bastien Bouchet,Fabien Bogard

doi:10.3390/dynamics1020013

Abstract

Partial body cryotherapy cabins most often use liquid nitrogen as their cryogenic fluid, which raises safety concerns during operation. In this study, an innovative cryotherapy cabin design is presented, featuring an electric cooling system suitable for producing cold air at −30 °C. The geometry of the designed cryotherapy cabin is evaluated by a thermodynamic modeling which aims at optimizing the circulation of cold air flows inside the cabin. The numerical study is carried out in two successive phases, the first one being necessary to model the pre-cooling phase and to estimate the time required to reach an average temperature close to the set temperature of −30 °C. The second one aims at modeling a 3-min cryotherapy session by taking into account the thermal transfers between the human body and its environment. Results demonstrate the potential benefits of the cold air injection device which has been designed to optimize the thermal transfers and homogenize the temperatures within the therapeutic enclosure. The main innovation of this study is the ability to customize cryotherapy protocols by injecting cold air at different levels through targeting of specific body areas. Further calculations would be required to determine the precise impact of zone-targeted injection on skin cooling.

Highlights

Whole body cryotherapy (WBC) and partial body cryotherapy (PBC) are two methods that involve exposing one or more subjects to extremely cold dry air for a period of one to four minutes [1]
In study view of view of the aforementioned issues related to use nitrogen-based the present the aforementioned issues related to nitrogen-based solutions, the present study aims at laying the groundwork for further consideration of the development of aaims newat laying the groundwork for further consideration of the development of a new generation generation of PBC cabins that do not use nitrogen as the cryogenic fluid
This study aimed at laying the foundations of an in-depth reflection for the development of a new generation of PBC cabins using a cryogenic fluid that would not be nitrogen

Summary

Introduction

Whole body cryotherapy (WBC) and partial body cryotherapy (PBC) are two methods that involve exposing one or more subjects to extremely cold dry air for a period of one to four minutes [1]. PBC therapy is performed in a cabin called “cryosauna”, consisting of an open tank where the subject’s body is exposed to cold, except for the head and neck [1]. To achieve analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects, the patient must undergo a thermal shock following a sudden drop in skin temperature [12,13,14]. The intensity of the thermal shock will depend on the temperature gap between the inside of the cryotherapy cabin (from −110 ◦ C to −195 ◦ C depending on the manufacturer) and the patient’s skin temperature [15,16].

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