Special Protective Clothing Research Articles

Аssessment of excess pressure during accidents at oil refineries

Аssessed the excess explosion pressure during an accident on oil tanks. In the studies, three cases of accidents were considered: local depressurization of the oil tank, full depressurization of the oil tank without the formation of a breakthrough wave and full depressurization with the formation of a breakthrough wave of the oil. The study was conducted for tanks with a volume of 10.000 m³. The paper considers a mathematical model of the overpressure of the explosion of vapors evaporated from a oil spill in the event of these accidents. According to this mathematical model, graphs of the dependence of excess explosion pressure on the radius were built. From the analysis of these graphs, numerical values of the radii of buildings damage degreewere determined . In case of full depressurization of the oil tank with the formation of a breakthrough wave, the radii of buildings damage degreewill be significantly larger than in the case of full depressurization without the formation of a breakthrough wave, which is due to a significant increase in the area of evaporation of the oil. It is determined that the presence of a serviceable dike can significantly reduce the consequences of accidents that can occur when damaged oil tanks. The radii on which a person will suffer damage of various degrees of complexity from the explosion of oil product vapors during their spill as a result of an accident on oil tanks are determined. It was established that for the case of local and full depressurization of a tank with an oil product without the formation of a breakthrough wave, a person will not receive too severe affections from a shock wave. In this case, for the case of full depressurization of the oil tank with the formation of a breakthrough wave, this distance will be at least 535 meters. The obtained results allow to assess the consequences of accidents on oil tanks and can be used to determine the distances of personnel and their special protective clothing.

Modern Means of Personal Protection of People from Bloodsucking Arthropods

The review focuses on the means of personal protection of people from blood-sucking arthropods, mainly from Ixodidae ticks. Individual (personal) protection of humans is an important component of nonspecific prevention of natural-focal vector-borne diseases. The paper considers statistical data describing the level of significance and relevance of the information about the infections transmitted by ticks, for instance, tick-borne viral encephalitis, tick-borne borreliosis etc. Presented are the characteristics of different groups of personal protection means: insectoacaricidal, repellent, and insectoacaricidal-repellent ones. Indicators of their effectiveness are assessed; their practical use, as well as the features of special protective clothing and the necessity of its application is described. The toxicity of protective clothing is reduced through a lining fabric, local inserts of fabric with insectoacaricidal impregnation and the use of underwear. Different interpretation of the term “repellent” in the domestic and foreign literature, and also two different approaches (“Eastern” and “Western”) to the design and manufacture of personal protection means for people against attacks of blood-sucking arthropods, including Ixodidae ticks, in Russia and Western Europe countries and the USA is discussed. The paper highlights the effect of different pyrethroid groups on the behavioral reactions of ticks. It is shown that in the Russian Federation the use of permethrin is prohibited for the treatment of protective clothing against blood-sucking arthropods, in particular against the taiga tick Ixodes persulcatus, which is the main vector of dangerous infections across the major part of the country (in the east of the European part, the Urals, Siberia and the Far East).

Preparation of multi band photothermal responsive bio-based superhydrophobic self-healing poly(siloxane-urethane) coating

In order to improve the poor hydrophobicity and single repair conditions of traditional self-healing polyurethane coatings, prepolymers were synthesized with bio-based polyol castor oil (CO), self-made alkyl aryl modified silicone polyols (Si-OH) and isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI), and 4,4'-dithiodianiline (ODD) was used as chain extender containing dynamic disulfide bond, 4-methylumbelliferone (4-MU), as a bio-based end capping agent with reversible ring structure, was polymerized step by step to prepare a photothermal responsive bio-based superhydrophobic self-healing poly(siloxane-urethane) coating (PUSi). In this paper, the effect of the amount of alkyl aryl modified silicone polyol (Si-OH) on the properties of PUSi was studied. The results showed that PUSi with different alkyl aryl modified silicone polyol additions could achieve self-healing under heating, UV irradiation and infrared light irradiation, and the maximum repair efficiency could reach 91% through optical microscope (OM), 3D profilometer and universal testing machine; The contact angle meter proved that the introduction of alkyl aryl modified silicone polyol greatly improved the hydrophobicity of PUSi, and the maximum water contact angle was 162°. The coating has broad application prospects in the fields of self-cleaning fabrics, super hydrophobic surfaces, special protective clothing and so on.

The effectiveness of personal protective equipment made of metallized materials when exposed to extreme levels of infrared radiation

Introduction. The results of the study of the nature of the formation of the thermal state in workers under the influence of extreme levels of the heating microclimate with multifactorial exposure against the background of heavy physical labour, justify the need to develop and experimentally evaluate a set of preventive measures. Such measures need to prevent chronic overheating, with the mandatory use by workers of modern effective personal protective equipment from infrared radiation. 
 The purpose of the study – the study of the effectiveness of personal protective equipment made of metallized materials in real production conditions, for the prevention of chronic overheating from exposure to extreme levels of infrared radiation with multifactorial exposure against the background of heavy physical labour. 
 Materials and methods. To assess the possibility of using personal protective equipment in the conditions of modern forging and pressing production, there were taken protective clothing sets made of the material OXA-440, consisting of a cotton-asbestos lining and a metallized material with an aluminum surface. In the manufacture of prototypes of workwear, the topography and the estimated area of the irradiated area of the body surface, and the moisture and air tightness of metallized materials, were taken into account. The effectiveness of personal protective equipment was evaluated with taking into account the indicators of the thermal state of the workers of the main occupations who used two sets of the specified protective clothing alternately. The thermal state of the body was studied in accordance with the guidelines of the MUK 4.3.1895-04 and the provisions of the standard GOST R ISO 9886-2008. Studies on the hygienic assessment of workwear were carried out in the cold and warm periods of the year. A questionnaire survey was conducted to subjectively assess the usability, design and protective properties of workwear made of metallized material.
 Results. The main sources of thermal radiation in the studied production are incandescent to a temperature of over 1200°C with metal forgings of various lengths and various profile configurations, which largely determine the variability in the degree of radiation intensity of the radiant energy flow at the workplaces of blacksmiths and heaters. The formed thermal state of the workers of the specified occupational groups, dressed in standard cotton workwear, during the performance of the main work operations during the first half of the working shift in the cold and warm periods of the year, is estimated as the maximum permissible, requiring a limit of working time – no more than one hour per working shift. The use of workwear made of metallized materials in the cold period of the year led to a slight improvement in the thermal condition, which allowed to prolong the time spent at the workplace to 2 hours. When using the original design of a protective suit made of a metallized material characterized by moisture – and air-tight properties and covering a large area of the body surface during the warm period of the year, no improvement in the thermal condition of the workers was observed. According to the questionnaire survey, good reflective and mechanical properties of the test material were revealed. The expressed wishes and suggestions of the workers in the areas of improving the design of workwear suggest the development of new design samples of special protective clothing made of this metallized material, taking into account these comments.
 Limitations. The chosen research method determines the limitation on the possibility of its use in relation to a specific production, characterized by the multifactorial nature of the production environment against the background of heavy physical labour and extreme levels of infrared radiation determined by the specifics of the technological process. 
 The obtained research results objectify the subject of further research – the development and evaluation of the effectiveness of new design samples of special protective clothing made of metallized materials.
 Conclusion. The results of the conducted studies have shown good reflective and mechanical properties of the new metallized materials. During the questionnaire survey, the workers expressed their wishes and suggestions for improving the design of workwear sets, which must be taken into account when creating new design samples of special protective clothing, for their subsequent use as the main means of protection when working under conditions of exposure to extreme levels of industrial infrared radiation.

Skin cancer’s prevention in the light of current medical knowledge

Among all diagnosed malignancies, skin cancers account for more than 30-50%. Caucasian patients have a lifetime risk of more than 20%. The incidence increases with the age of patients. In 2017, there were over 14,000 new cases in Poland. It can be expected that these results are underestimated due to incomplete registration of new cases in the National Cancer Registry.(1,2)The most common skin cancer is basal cell carcinoma - over 80% of cases. In second place is squamous cell carcinoma - 15-20%. Other types are less common.(1)The appearance of a new mole or a change in the appearance of an existing one is often missed at the beginning, and even if it is noticed, it is underestimated by the patient. Therefore, detection rate of skin cancer, including melanoma at an early stage, is unfortunately relatively low.The incidence of skin cancer is constantly increasing, which is an important epidemiological problem of modern medicine.(2)Patient education should focus on behaviors that the patient can influence and modify, including: regular visits to a dermatologist and undergoing a dermatoscopic examination, the use of sunscreen with a high UV factor, the use of special protective clothing, sunglasses, covering head when under sun’s exposure, moderate overall sun exposure, avoiding sunburn, not using a tanning bed.The purpose of this review was to assess the current literature on the impact of educating the public and promoting sun protection as a necessary method to directly reduce the incidence of skin cancer.The literature was searched in Pubmed and Google Scholar databases.

Technological Method of Using Functional Materials in a Heat-Protective Clothing Package

Special protective clothing is used to protect people in critically low temperatures. It exposed not only by temperature, but also by the effects of wind and the movements of the person. These aerodynamic and mechanical influences compress certain areas that return to their original position only after a certain period of time. However, during this interval the thermal resistance of the compressed part of the clothing decreases. In order to avoid such a situation, material packages have been developed to increase their elasticity. This article proposes a new material package design using a thermo-elastic element which, when the temperature changes to the required temperature, changes its shape. The article proposes the placement of the thermoelastic element, as well as a technique in which the thermoelastic element acquires the property of memorizing its shape at a certain temperature. Titanium nickelide alloy NiTi (nitinol) is used as a thermoelastic element. According to the method proposed in the article, this alloy remembers the shape at a temperature of +20°C (straight) and-18°C (bending). Thus, when the nitinol wire responses at negative temperature, the bend is manifested and the wire lifts the fabric of the top, thereby increasing the volume of the material package, which allows the insulation to occupy a larger volume increasing the thermal resistance of the package.

Environmentally friendly waterproof and breathable electrospun nanofiber membranes via post-heat treatment

Waterproof and breathable nanofiber membrane (WBM) is the core of the waterproof and breathable textile. At present, it is difficult to achieve simultaneous improvement of waterproofness, breathability and mechanical properties due to the limitation of material property and preparation technology. Herein, environmentally friendly and high-performing fluorine-free silicon-based polyurethane/polymethyl methacrylate/polyvinyl butyral (Si-PU/PMMA/PVB) WBMs were prepared via a facile electrospinning technology and post-heat treatment. By heating treatment, inter-fiber adhesion was achieved due to the melt of PVB, leading to a decrease in the maximum pore size of the fiber membrane, which enhances the waterproof ability. At the same time, the generated inter-fiber adhesion enhanced the interaction force between fibers, and thus improved the mechanical properties. The as-prepared PU/PMMA/PVB-40 WBM exhibits good water resistance with a hydrostatic pressure of 65.29 kPa, exceptional breathability with a water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) of 7.0 kg m−2 d−1, together with a high tensile strength of 11.52 MPa. The obtained Si-PU/PMMA/PVB WBMs have broad application prospects in special protective clothing and outdoor equipment.

Study on Heat Transfer Characteristics and Intelligent Optimization of Protective Clothing Materials in front of the Blast Furnace.

Special protective clothing should have a certain thermal insulation and protective effect in the production in front of the blast furnace. In order to study the design of special protective clothing for blast furnace foreman, its temperature distribution and internal thickness structure are deeply analyzed. First, based on the existing experimental data, combined with heat transfer and the Fourier law theory, a one-dimensional unsteady heat conduction equation is established. Using the explicit finite difference solution algorithm, the distribution law of the temperature of each fabric layer with time is obtained and the error analysis is performed. The error result is 0.42877%, which shows that the numerical solution is stable and convergent. Then, through the intelligent optimization model of a simulated annealing ant colony (SA-ACO), compared with the single ant colony algorithm (ACO) and a simulated annealing algorithm (SA), it avoids falling into the local optimal solution, reversely solves the optimal thickness of two layers of protective clothing in front of the blast furnace, improves the convergence speed of optimization, and verifies the reliability of the model with a sensitivity test. Finally, this paper actually solves the problem of the protective clothing design and mathematical intelligent model in front of the blast furnace and combines it with numerical simulation software to realize the numerical simulation of temperature distribution and thickness optimization of special protective clothing in front of the blast furnace, so as to provide theoretical guidance for enterprise blast furnace production and development of special protective clothing.

Hygienic Assessment of Personal Protective Equipment for Workers Exposed to Engineering Nanoparticles: A Systematic Review

Background: The production and use of nanomaterials keeps demonstrating a significant annual increase leading to enhanced health risks for humans and especially those exposed to nanoparticles at workplaces. While the knowledge of potential toxicity related to nanotechnologies is still evolving and other more sophisticated risk management strategies are being developed, evaluated and put into practice, personal protective equipment for those handling nanoparticles should be available immediately. Objective: To summarize and systematize information about personal protective equipment already used and recommended for use by workers exposed to nanoparticles in the occupational setting. Materials and methods: We used data analysis methods based on review and generalization of contemporary research data found in Medline, PubMed, and Scopus abstract and citation databases and on information portals as of January 2022. The article selection criterion was availability of information about hygienic assessment of personal protective equipment for workers occupationally exposed to nanoparticles; having reviewed over 528 original articles, we chose 39 full-text publications. Results: We established that the principles of certification of filters and their further use for protection against nanoparticles under industrial conditions are not always observed in the production of filters, especially in terms of their pore size. Data on the use of special protective clothing is very limited and shows that available protective equipment may not ensure the required level of protection. Conclusion: This literature review has revealed problems in the regulatory framework and practical hygienic assessment of personal protective equipment against nanoparticles, one of which is the discrepancy between real working conditions and processes simulated in the laboratory. We have established that particle diameter, charge and shape, air flow rate and humidity, as well as the model and type of filters determine the efficiency of respiratory protective equipment used to protect workers against nanoparticles in the workplace air.

Influence of washing on textile material thermal properties under exposure of an open flame and heating ele-ment heat flow

Elevated temperatures are factors causing harm to human health and life. To ensure protection, various personal protective equipment is used, which includes special protective clothing. The article discusses the heat-shielding indicators of the safety of textile material. In order to determine the heat-shielding properties of the material, various types of exposure are used – convective heat from a heating element and an open flame. Fabrics of various raw materials and surface density are used for sewing special protective clothing. Five clothes were selected for the research. The research was held under the exposure of an open flame and convective heat of heating element with a comparable heat flux density equal to 80 kW/m². Also, research was held under influence of multiple wash cycles on radiant heat transfer index and heat transfer index.

Berylliosis

One of the variants of pneumoconiosis is berylliosis, which is caused by dust or vapors of metallic beryllium that is widely used in space, aviation and nuclear engineering, rocketry, instrument making, etc. Therefore, beryllium intoxication is possible in employees of the above-mentioned industries who have contact with metallic beryllium or its compounds, as well as in workers of the mining industry who extract beryllium from ore. The incidence of berylliosis among workers who have contact with beryllium and its compounds is 0.3%7.5%. People with different contact periods became sick from several days to 10 or more years. However, no direct relationship was found between the concentration of a toxic substance in the body and the severity of intoxication. The pathogenesis of the toxic effects of beryllium and its compounds is not definitively realized. Numerous scientific studies have established their toxic, pro-inflammatory, allergic, and carcinogenic effects. Berylliosis has acute and chronic forms. Acute forms are relatively rare and usually occur in emergencies in smelting or casting shops of industrial enterprises and mild, moderate, or severe forms. Outcomes of acute beryllium poisoning vary from complete recovery with complete normalization of the X-ray findings to the development of interstitial pneumosclerosis with interstitial lung tissue compaction, transition to a chronic form, or death. The mortality rate in beryllium pneumonia reaches 20%. Death occurs at 23 weeks of the disease, and in extremely severe cases, patients die on the first day due to respiratory center paralysis. Chronic berylliosis is either the outcome of acute intoxication with beryllium and its compounds or as a primary chronic form that occurs in interstitial or granulomatous forms. The prognosis depends on prompt disease detection and treatment initiation. Berylliosis diagnosis is based on the data of a professional history assessment, information about possible beryllium contact, and a characteristic clinical and radiological picture and positive beryllium tests. A lung biopsy is performed for diagnosis in severe cases. Berylliosis has no specific treatment, thus the therapy is exclusively pathogenetic and symptomatic. The scope and treatment measures depend on the form, disease severity and stage, and depth of the respiratory system lesion. Berylliosis prevention includes the improvement of the production process and use of air-purifying respirators and special protective clothing to limit contact with beryllium and its compounds that are contained in the surrounding air, which refers to preliminary and periodic medical examinations that are performed once every 2 years. The examination of the patients ability to work should be decided with the stages of berylliosis and pathological process activities.

Прогнозирование ожоговых травм при испытаниях специальной защитной одежды пожарных на стенде «Термоманекен»

Ensuring safety of the personnel when exposed to thermal factors of a fire, including through the use of various types of special protective clothing, is an important component of the firefighter occupational safety. Quality control of special protective clothing of the firefighters takes place in several stages. The final stage is to conduct tests on the Thermomanequin test bench when the workwear is in the working position on a full-size manequin, and it is exposed to the radiation heat flow and open flame. During the tests, the thermal parameters of the undersuit space are monitored — the temperature on the dummy surface and the passing heat flux. To measure the parameters of the thermal state of the undersuit space during the experiment at the Thermomanequin test bench, a special program was developed that allows the results (temperature and heat flow) to be displayed on a computer monitor in real time in tabular, graphical forms, as well as in the form of a color fill on the monitor on the body of the manequin. The program and the results of tests conducted at the test bench do not allow predicting burn injuries. For the possibility of conducting experiments on predicting burn injuries at the Thermomanequin test bench, according to the international standards requirements, the program for calculating burn injuries based on the values of the passing heat flow, interfaced with the programs for measuring the passing heat flow, was developed. The developed program allows using experimental data on heat fluxes from the sensors, to calculate non-stationary temperature fields; by the temperatures at the boundaries of the conjugation of the epidermis with the dermis and the dermis with the subcutaneous tissue, calculate the reduced parameter of the burn injury and determine the time to reach the values at these boundaries that characterize the occurrence of the second and third degree burns respectively.

REVIEW OF RESEARCH OF THE INFLUENCE OF THE ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELD ON HUMAN WORKING WORK AND DEVELOPMENT OF METHODS OF ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVE SCREENING

This article discusses the issues of life safety of living objects under conditions of constant influence of an electromagnetic field on them. A planned laboratory facility for further research has been proposed. The mathematical apparatus of the generated electromagnetic field by the traction electric motor by the rolling stock of electric transport is shown. Conclusions are made that suggest the creation of special protective clothing for everyday use by humans with a constantly acting electromagnetic field in a man-made environment. Modern man is constantly in the zone of electromagnetic radiation, the influence of which cannot be avoided. Only by minimizing radiation by avoiding areas with increased electromagnetic activity and developing modern means of protection can ensure a safe and harmonious stay of a person in a modern technogenic environment of existence. If we turn to statistics and analyze the issue of the impact of electromagnetic radiation on the human body and study the problems that arise after its negative influence, we will find that almost all human systems and organs are negatively influenced with destructive consequences. This article discusses the latest developments in the field of electromagnetic waves on the human body. The most actual problems connected with work of electric transport as the technogenic environment are analyzed. The mathematical apparatus and the equation of the electromagnetic field for the electric motor are offered to create the mathematical models showing dependence of growth of an electromagnetic field depending on operating modes of the vehicle and places of stay of the passenger in vehicle interior. Еlectromagnetic radiation in the form of clothing, which will allow a comfortable and safe stay of people in a new man-made environment.

Особенности выбора материалов для специальной защитной одежды работников металлургической промышленности

The existing technical requirements for protective clothing of the employees of metallurgical enterprises are very general and do not consider the full variety of hazardous factors of industries in this area. Metallurgist special clothing should not only reliably protect against fire and heat exposure, but also provide for comfortable work environment. Methodology and criteria for assessment of the fabric thermal resistance, which are the basis for the requirements of metallurgist protective clothing, do not fully consider the real thermal and fire loads on the material of the protective suits top, that may result in the loss of the physical, mechanical, and protective properties of the fabric, as well as its destruction. It is advisable to develop a more comprehensive approach to the thermal safety requirements, which considers the actual loads on the fabric for selecting the protective clothing material. It is required to ensure not only its fire and heat resistance and integrity of the operational properties, but also comfortable working conditions that allow employees to perform their professional duties more efficiently. Experimental studies were conducted (in laboratory and production conditions) on the assessment of the thermal insulation ability, resistance to ignition, spills, and splashes of the molten metals for the materials recommended by the foreign and Russian companies for the top of metallurgists special clothing. It is shown that the materials made of a mixture of heat-resistant and wool fibers have advantages over other materials. The development of new materials from a mixture of heat-resistant and modified fibers with the improved functional characteristics is one of the promising and necessary areas at the development of suits for the employees in the metallurgical industry. Structural and methodological scheme is proposed that ensures an integrated approach to the development of special protective clothing for the metallurgists. Establishment of the thermal safety requirements in this approach is carried out considering the specifics of the personnel work, real thermal and fire loads on the fabric.

ЗАСАДИ РОЗРОБЛЕННЯ МАТЕРІАЛІВ І КОНСТРУКЦІЙ ВИГОТОВЛЕННЯ ЗАСОБІВ ІНДИВІДУАЛЬНОГО ЗАХИСТУ ВІД ВПЛИВУ ЕЛЕКТРИЧНИХ ПОЛІВ

Предметом дослідження є визначення загальних конструктивно-технологічних рішень виготовлення та випробування одягу для захисту працюючих від впливу електромагнітних полів. Обґрунтовано використання льняної тканини для виготовлення спецодягу, а саме пористість структури волокна, що дає можливість насичення її екрануючими металевими частинками (магнітною рідиною з вмістом феромагнітних наночастинок). Розглянуто два способи підвищення функціональності спеціального захисного одягу шляхом підвищення захисних властивостей одного шару металополімерного матеріалу.. Перший – використання у якості екрануючої субстанції не залізорудного пилу, а залізорудного концентрату, який є кінцевим продуктом збагачення залізної руди.Другий спосіб полягає у збільшенні товщини металополімеру за рахунок зниження тиску під час його нанесення на текстильну основу (прокачування крізь вальці), що дозволить збільшити товщину екрануючих вставок до 1,0 – 1,5 мм та суттєво не вплине на ергономічні характеристики одягу. Отримані результати показують доцільність для підвищення ефективності захисту працюючих, дозволяють розробляти комбіновані засоби захисту з використанням як металополімерних, так і металотекстильних матеріалів

Research and algorithmization of the process for completing clothes by materials with electric propertie

In the article research results are presented, which aim to provide of automation algorithm of the process for completing clothes by materials with electric properties. The problem of electrostatic safety is included into the field of particular relevance. Analysis of the list of quality indexes of the special protective clothing allowed to form for automation of design works a group of protective properties of clothing to be used for positioning of the rational suit designated for the employees in the northern regions. Developed Structure of protective properties of clothing for automation of design works; Required properties of special anti-electrostatic clothing for the protection from reduced temperatures; additional quality parameters of materials and physical and mechanical properties. Designed and applied a support algorithm of the process for completing clothing by materials with electric properties. Installed normalizing parameters of materials for their automated forming into packages of details for protective clothing with up-to-date electric properties. The research was made in Don State Technical University within the framework of State Assignment of the Ministry of education and science of Russia under the project 11.9194.2017/BCh.

Комплексная оценка качества специальной защитной одежды для пожарных

Комплексная оценка качества специальной защитной одежды для пожарных

О роли начертательной геометрии в подготовке технических специалистов

О роли начертательной геометрии в подготовке технических специалистов

Automatization of individual anti-thermal protection of rescuers in the initial period of fire suppression

The problem of protection of rescuers from thermal injuries at the initial stage of fire suppression was explored. The authors substantiated structural components of the autonomous device for individual protection of rescuers from thermal injuries at the initial stage of emergency elimination, mainly during the site reconnaissance, when means of fire suppression and thermal protection of rescuers are not deployed yet. The automatic autonomous thermoprotective device, the structural system of which contains hydraulic and automatic parts, was proposed. The hydraulic part includes: the tank, pipelines for feeding a cooling agent, the atomizer, and the shutter of the electromagnetic valve. The tank is filled with the cooling agent under pressure. The shutter of the valve is located on the neck of the tank and in the initial state overlaps the pipeline. The atomizer is fixed on a rescuer’s helmet. The automatic part of the device consists of the control unit with the autonomous battery, located in the under-clothing space, the temperature sensor and the driving part of the electromagnetic valve. The model and the model sample of the autonomous thermoprotective device were tested under laboratory conditions. Testing results demonstrated workability of the proposed technical solution and possibility of operation in automatic mode. Effectiveness of cooling the rescuer’s body by periodic sprinkling of the surface of special protective clothing was proved. The device timely reacted to the temperature change in the under-clothing space and automatically cooled down the surface of special firefighter clothing within five seconds. Pulse mode of device operation provides economical consumption of a cooling agent and an increase in the duration of rescuer’s protection from thermal injuries. External sprinkling for the purpose of cooling helps counteract thermal destruction of fabric of the special clothes for firefighters and increase their operation term

Studying the radiation protection properties of materials via γ-ray attenuation over a wide range of γ-quanta

A setup for investigating the radiation protection properties of materials used in the manufacture of special protective clothing is described. The setup contains a collimated γ-ray source, a detector based on NaI (Tl) crystal, a movable platform for examining large areas of a material, and a data acquisition system based on a digital signal processor. A procedure for measuring the surface density of all absorbing elements in a material from the attenuation of γ-rays over a wide range of energies is described.