Design and Testing of a Diver Thermal Protection Garment.

Abstract

Missions in cold and hot water have to be planned to insure thermal protection to prevent loss of diver capability. The objective of this project was to design, develop and test a diver thermal protection system (DTPS) that would eliminate the thermal constraint, and protect free swimming divers in waters from 5C to 40C at rest and during exercise at depths to 350 fsw. The DTPS developed met the objectives, protecting divers in waters from 5C to 40C at rest and during free swimming. The DTPS is self contained, has few moving parts, does not use consumables, and can run 200 hrs without maintenance. The DTPS can be powered from batteries and other power sources, including surface supply. The battery modules developed under this grant can provide protection for 8-12 hrs in cold and 2-4 hrs in warm. The DTPS also acts as a total body and regional calorimeter. importantly the DTPS automatically protects the diver via a controller in cold and hot water. The DTPS is protected and currently available for commercialization and can be adapted to many diving environments.