Heat and Mass Transfer in Textiles

This study began around 2008 with the collaboration of researchers from CeNTI – Center for Nanotechnology and Technical, Functional, and Intelligent Materials in Vila Nova de Famalicão. Later, it expanded to include researchers from EMPA – Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology. The collaboration has grown to encompass new partnerships with technological centers like CITEVE – Technological Center for companies in the Textile and Clothing Sector, societal involvement through the National School of Portuguese Firefighters, and the pursuit of industrial solutions with companies like Tintex Lda, in close collaboration with higher education institutes such as ISEC – Coimbra Institute of Engineering. The research evolved from simple concepts to complex studies, focusing primarily on numerical analysis. The topics already carried out are:

• Determination of parameters required for numerical studies of heat and mass transfer through textiles – methodologies and experimental procedures.
• Effects of clothing and fiber properties on heat and mass transport under various body heat/sweat conditions.
• Coupled effects of body thermoregulation and the transport of mass and heat in fibers.

Study of thermal comfort and thermal protection with a particular focus on high thermal fluxes – using both numerical and experimental approaches. These studies gave rise to more applied ones that are currently under development:

• Development of a PCM protective vest for firefighters.
• Determination of maximum exposure times for individuals in hot and humid environments while performing high metabolic rate activities.
• Process optimization for the coloration of textiles with bio-dyes.