The present disclosure is directed to systems and methods for maintaining an environment within the interstitial space between a cleanroom worker and a cleanroom garment worn by the cleanroom worker. An air mover draws relatively cool air from the external cleanroom environment and discharges the air through one or more diffusers positioned in the interstitial space between the cleanroom worker and the cleanroom garment worn by the cleanroom worker. The one or more diffusers are positioned proximate the body of the cleanroom worker. Control circuitry monitors the temperature and relative humidity within the cleanroom garment and selectively controls the operation of the air mover to maintain a comfortable environment within the cleanroom garment even when PPE such as splash aprons, boots, gloves, and protective headgear are donned by the cleanroom worker. Reducing perspiration beneficially reduces the likelihood of contamination within the cleanroom environment.

A microenvironmental cooling system is disclosed. The microenvironmental system includes a pressure box or a pressure source upstream of an evaporator. Downstream of an evaporator is a personal cooling device, which is adapted to lay adjacent or on the skin of the user. The evaporator includes an evaporator coil (having fins and a coolant tube) and a housing and walls configured to direct the airflow through the housing, in several embodiments, multiple times across the longitudinal axis fins of the coil.

A high-pressure passthrough apparatus and protective suit having a high-pressure passthrough is provided. A high-pressure passthrough having a penetrator body is connected to a protective suit, wherein a first half of the penetrator body is positioned exterior of the protective suit and a second half of the penetrator body is positioned interior of the suit. A high-pressure passthrough valve is positioned on the second half of the penetrator body, wherein high-pressured air is supplied to an interior space of the protective suit. Releasing the quantity of high-pressure air to the interior of the protective suit with the high-pressure passthrough valve may act to cool the interior of the protective suit.

A firefighter's protective garment including an outer shell, moisture barrier and thermal barrier in which the thermal barrier is constructed with spacers on its inner surface such that air can circulate between the garment and the firefighter wearing it. The garment redistributes metabolic heat over a larger surface area, and increases metabolic cooling and firefighter comfort. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the spacers are strategically attached to those areas of the thermal barrier which find themselves opposite those parts of the human body having the highest rates of perspiration and metabolic heat transfer.

A temperature control garment arranged to be worn on a user's torso including a bladder defining a chamber for receiving a supply of gas, the bladder including a back portion which is arranged to overlie at least a portion of a user's back. An arrangement of holes is provided in the bladder for directing gas supplied to the chamber towards the user's body so as to modify the temperature of the user's body. The garment also includes a breathing duct coupled to the bladder for receiving a supply of gas, the breathing duct having at least one duct outlet for delivering the gas supplied to the breathing duct to the user.

An arc rated article of outerwear which protects the wearer from electrical arc flash. The article of outerwear has one or more layers made from woven fabric, knit fabric or a combination thereof. The fabric has a 40 cal/cm2 or greater arc rating. The arc rated article of outerwear is made solely from the one or more layers made from woven fabric, knit fabric or a combination thereof, the fabric having a 40 cal/cm2 or greater arc rating, with no other layers of a different fabric.

Cooling suit including legs, torso and arms, which includes outwardly opening hose sleeve in the hip area, inwardly branching gas ducts having several outlet openings. A pressurized gas cylinder for carrying along and connecting outlet hose with coupling piece to this hose sleeve, and which comprises a valve and adjusting wheel for the regulated delivery of expanded gas into these gas ducts. The gas ducts in the upper-body have outflow openings in the area of the lower back, hips, neck area, armpits, arm joints, and sleeves. In the lower-body garment, outflow openings are arranged in the knees and the crotch area. This cooling suit is operated with a dry, compressed gas. The gas flowing from the pressure cylinder is expanded, subsequently cools down and then flows through the gas ducts and cools the body. Perspiration is carried away by the permanent gas supply via the breathable fabric of the suit.

A device and method for reducing heat loss in at least one region of a subject's body is described. The device includes a mask component, a heat releasing reservoir, and a conduit connecting the mask component to the heat releasing reservoir and creating an airflow path therethrough, wherein the heat releasing reservoir includes at least one air permeable region that is impermeable to condensed water. Heat loss is reduced by the subject positioning the mask over the mouth and/or nose, positioning the heat releasing reservoir over the region of the subject's body, and passing warmed air exhaled by the subject into the mask through the conduit and into the heat releasing reservoir, such that the warmed air passes through the heat releasing reservoir while retaining condensed water within the heat releasing reservoir, thereby increasing the temperature of the air surrounding the at least one region of the subject's body.

A firefighter's protective garment including an outer shell, moisture barrier and thermal barrier in which the thermal barrier is constructed with spacers on its inner surface such that air can circulate between the garment and the firefighter wearing it. The garment redistributes metabolic heat over a larger surface area, and increases metabolic cooling and firefighter comfort. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the spacers are strategically attached to those areas of the thermal barrier which find themselves opposite those parts of the human body having the highest rates of perspiration and metabolic heat transfer.

A firefighter's protective garment including an outer shell, moisture barrier and thermal barrier in which the composite structure varies according to the sweating cartography of the human body and in so doing enhances the evacuation of metabolic heat.