Effects of the Liquid Circulation Cooling Vest on a Physiological Strain Level in Solders During Exertional Heat Stress
Dalibor Jovanović Radovan Karkalić Ljubiša Tomić Zlate Veličković Zoran Bajić
The present study was conducted in order to evaluate the efficiency of a personal body cooling system based on a chilled water flow through a tube system and its effects on solders’ psycho-physiological suitability during exertional heat stress in hot environment. The obtained results are based on the examinations conducted in the climatic chamber in the Military Medical Academy Institute of Hygiene in Belgrade. Ten male solders-volunteers were subjected to a exertional heat stress test (EHST) consisting of walking on a motorized treadmill at a speed of 5 km/h in hot environment (air temperature 40°C). The tests were performed with male solders (25.8 ± 2.4 years, 72 ± 10 kg, 182 ± 8 cm), in cases of wearing a field camouflage uniform without any cooling system (NoCOOL) and using the Waist Pack Style personal cooling system DP 103 (COOL). As physiological strain indicators, the following parameters have been determined: mean skin (Tsk) temperature, tympanic (Tty) temperature and heart rate (HR), while sweat rate (SwR) was calculated in order to determine the change in the water and electrolyte status. The exercises in hot conditions induced a physiological response to heat stress, manifested through increasing Tty, HR and SwR. The results confirmed that the cooling vest worn over the field uniform was able to attenuate the physiological strain levels during exercise, when compared to the identical exposure without the cooling system
Key words: protective equipment, soldier equipment, cooling vest, temperature effects, high temperatures, heat stress, physiological strain.
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