An evaporative cooling garment includes a first layer and a second layer superimposed over the first layer. The first layer is configured to absorb a quantity of water, and the second layer includes a reflective material and defines openings. The first layer is visible from an exterior of the garment through the openings in the second layer, and the garment defines a collapsible gap between an inner surface of the second layer and an outer surface of the first layer.

An evaporator includes a housing with an inlet and an outlet, a hydrophobic hollow fiber membrane contained within the housing and fluidly coupling the inlet to the outlet, and a conduit. The conduit extends fluidly along the housing and fluidly couples the inlet to the hydrophobic hollow fiber membrane to heat the housing with water mixture introduced through the inlet of the housing prior to communication of the water to the hydrophobic hollow fiber membrane. Liquid cooling ventilation garments and environmental control methods are also described.

An evaporator includes a housing with a first end and a longitudinally opposite second end, a hydrophobic membrane arranged within the housing fluidly coupling the first end of the housing to the second end of the housing, and a hydrophilic surface. The hydrophilic surface is arranged within the housing between the first end and the second end of the housing and is spaced apart from the hydrophobic membrane to draw liquid water away from the hydrophobic hollow fiber membrane. Spacesuits and environmental control methods are also described.

One variation of a method for fabricating a dermal heatsink includes: fabricating a substrate defining an interior surface, an exterior surface opposite the interior surface, and an open network of pores extending between the interior surface and the exterior surface; activating surfaces of the substrate and walls of the open network of pores; applying a coating over the substrate to form a heatsink, the coating comprising a porous, hydrophilic material and defining a void network; removing an excess of the coating from the substrate to clear blockages within the open network of pores by the coating; hydrating the heatsink during a curing period; heating the heatsink during the curing period to increase porosity of the coating applied over surfaces of the substrate; and rinsing the heatsink with an acid to decarbonate the coating along walls of the open network of pores in the substrate.

A heat management device includes: an inner layer configured to face a body of a user, the inner layer including: a dry sublayer configured to face and touch the body; and a wet sublayer; an outer layer; and a spacer positioned between the inner layer and the outer layer, the spacer configured to maintain a channel height for passage of airflow between the inner layer and the outer layer; wherein the inner layer and the outer layer together define a flexible airflow channel configured to receive and route the airflow through the device and across the wet sublayer.

The invention relates to a multi-layered fabric comprising an absorption layer between two liquid-permeable layers, which multi-layered fabric has a surface with: 1) one or more connection areas wherein a connection is present between both layers; and 2) one or more absorption areas wherein both layers are not connected to each other. The absorption areas are capable of absorbing a liquid whereby the liquid is absorbed by the absorption layer. The connection between the layer L1 and the layer L2 comprises a fusion of the layer L1 and the layer L2, which fusion optionally also includes the absorption layer.

A fabric with cool feeling function and related cloth clothing items and method and systems. The fabric comprising a first fabric layer and a second fabric layer and related method of making are disclosed, wherein the first fabric layer is formed by interweaving hygroscopic yarn materials, and the second fabric layer is formed by interweaving thermally conductive yarn materials; the first fabric layer and the second fabric layer are connected through knotting spots formed by interweaving the hygroscopic first fabric layer and the thermally conductive second fabric layer. A layered structure weaving method and resulting structure of the fabric results in an interaction between the hygroscopic yarn materials and the thermally conductive yarn materials which continuously produces cool feeling effects.

An autonomous cooling vest to cool its user by evaporating a coolant in contact with the user's skin surface is described. Multifunctional panels attached to the vest in the parts corresponding to the human body are permeable to ambient air and contain a liquid retaining screen kept in contact with the user's skin. The cooling support system automatically controls the transfer of the coolant liquid contained in a reservoir to each screen and allows the user to adjust the operation of the system to activate and deactivate the ventilation on the liquid retained in the screens and adjust the amount of liquid dispersed over the screens as needed. The flow of air ventilated by the fans and the air that permeates through the referred multifunctional panels favor the evaporation of the liquid retained in the screens, promoting the user's cooling.

One variation of a method for fabricating a dermal heatsink includes: fabricating a substrate defining an interior surface, an exterior surface opposite the interior surface, and an open network of pores extending between the interior surface and the exterior surface; activating surfaces of the substrate and walls of the open network of pores; applying a coating over the substrate to form a heatsink, the coating comprising a porous, hydrophilic material and defining a void network; removing an excess of the coating from the substrate to clear blockages within the open network of pores by the coating; hydrating the heatsink during a curing period; heating the heatsink during the curing period to increase porosity of the coating applied over surfaces of the substrate; and rinsing the heatsink with an acid to decarbonate the coating along walls of the open network of pores in the substrate.

In some embodiments, apparatuses and methods are presented herein useful to provide a protective medical garment, such as a gown, head covering, or gloves with a cooling property or agent. In one approach, the protective medical garment comprises a non-woven fabric that is at least partially-treated on an interior surface thereof with a phase change cooling agent. For example, a surgical gown may have a torso section and sleeves, with the phase change cooling agent deposited in areas adjacent the wearer's trunk, neck, underarms, or wrists.