Measurement of fabric steam diffusion for evaluating the thermo-physiological comfort of the wearer

摘要

To measure the diffusion of steam through a porous sample, and especially a textile fabric, the sample (9) is held between two chambers. One chamber (4) has a heated water bath, and the other chamber (6) is for measurement and contains an air volume at a given temperature and humidity. The partial pressure drop between the two chambers gives a steam diffusion through the fabric leading to an increase in the relative air humidity in the measurement chamber (6). The rise in the air moisture together with the water/air temperature gives the partial pressure difference, the latent evaporation heat of the water and the changes in the absolute moisture level in the air volume. The computed values give several steam diffusion parameters under known conditions under the measurement conditions at the same time. Also claimed is an apparatus with a measurement station and a computer system. The measurement unit has two chambers (4,6), where one chamber (4) has a water bath and the other is the measurement chamber (6), with a sample holder (10), measurement sensors for moisture levels and temperature, and systems to give the chamber heating in the measurement unit.