Lightweight Cooling Garment Technologies

Purpose: NASA JSC seeks like-minded partners to cooperatively develop (Co-develop) personal cooling systems for humans. Potential Commercial Applications: Medical, Sports, Department of Defense, First Responders, Chemical-Biological Protective Suits, Construction Industry and others. Current space suit technology utilizes chilled water that is pumped through tubes in a body conforming garment worn in contact with the astronaut's skin. The chilled water removes the astronaut's metabolic heat as it circulates around the entire body. The heat in the water is then rejected through a sublimator or water evaporator. Oxygen is also circulated through vents in the garment that help with circulation within the spacesuit. With current technology, there is a large mass, power, and volume penalty for the liquid cooling and ventilation garment. Battery power and water are heavy consumables during use of the cooling garment. During a typical spacewalk, water is sublimated into the vacuum of space at a rate of 1 pound per hour that is lost and not recoverable. Typical cooling needs for metabolic rates are about 500 Btu/hr. A well-designed cooling garment would not affect or limit the mobility and performance of the user and be light enough to not be prohibitive. NASA is interested in partnering to determine the feasibility of minimizing mass, volume, and consumable usage. Commercial liquid cooling garments already exist on the market and could be improved by advancing associated cooling garment technologies. Petrochemical, defense, aerospace, health care, law enforcement, and emergency response fields have various needs and applications for these types of technologies. NASA seeks unique ideas, knowledge sharing opportunities, or potential partnership arrangements. Partners can potentially benefit from NASA's unique capabilities, technology advancements, and expertise. In addition, new Intellectual Property (IP) may be created through a collaboration that would enable the partner to commercialize the technology for other applications such as personal protective equipment (PPE) for plant workers, chem-bio suits, military equipment, fire fighter / first responder suits, etc R&D Status: NASA developed a radiator where the water circulates through the system, but the surface area of the radiator was too large for a space suit. NASA also considered phase change materials (e.g. ice/water and wax), but once again, the mass and volume of the system was too large. The amount of consumables being used as well as the mass, battery power, and volume of the system are the key elements that will influence the viability of the technology for NASA's applications. In addition, if water is used as part of a cooling garment, the desire is to avoid evaporation and maximize recycling / recirculation. To respond to this announcement, please use the Statement of Interest Form, copy and paste link https://nasajsc.secure.force.com/StatementofInterest To view all Co-Development and Partnering Opportunities with the NASA Johnson Space Center please visit our website, copy and paste link http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/partnerships/JSC-Partnership-Gateway