Thermal Insulation of Clothing: Assessment of Cleanroom Clothing Ensembles

Abstract

In cleanrooms, the thermal optimization is not always possible, thus the suitable selection of clothing is important to achieve thermal comfort. In the case of specific cleanroom clothing, the values of thermal insulation are not specified in standards ISO 7730 and ISO 9920, and the use of casual ensembles instead would cause unreliable results. This study is focused on the thermal insulation assessment of four cleanroom clothing ensembles used for ISO 7 cleanrooms by means of a thermal manikin according to ISO 15831. The impact of the thermal insulation on the thermal satisfaction of users and the optimal comfort temperatures were also predicted. The results showed variations in the thermal insulation of the ensembles (ΔIt = 0.3 clo) which are responsible for differences in the thermal sensation of the environment (PMV) and in the optimal comfort temperature (Δta = 3 °C). The outcomes of this research should improve the quality of the indoor environment of cleanrooms and ease the design and efficient cleanroom operation.