Conduction, Convection, and Radiation in Fabric Composites
topic
Heat transfer through firefighter clothing composites occurs simultaneously through conduction along fibre and fabric layers at conductivity values of 0.04 to 0.12 watts per metre Kelvin for typical aramid fabrics, convection through interlayer air spaces, thermal radiation transmission through semi-transparent fabric layers, and evaporative transport from moisture within the composite, with relative mechanism contributions depending on heat flux level, fabric construction, and moisture state.
Role
Defines the physical mechanisms that firefighter clothing must interrupt to provide thermal protection, with mechanistic understanding being essential for composite construction design that maximises protection at minimum weight and for interpreting test results that measure total heat transfer without distinguishing individual mechanism contributions that must each be addressed in clothing system optimisation.