Over the centuries, hundreds of humans have drowned in cold water. Immersion suits, also known as survival suits, are made to ‘reduce the thermal shock that one gets upon entry into cold water, and delay the onset of hypothermia when a person immersed in cold water, by providing easy flotation and minimizing the risk of drowning.’ Immersion suits can also be known as constant wear suits and abandonment suits, and the requirement of such a lifesaving appliance has been illustrated in numerous sea accidents, where such suits have saved many human lives.
Immersion suits are heavily used in several essential professions (e.g., marine passengers, helicopter pilots, and offshore oil industry workers). The preferred conditions of immersion suits may be as low as 0℃ (sea water freezes below 0℃) or as high as 100℃ (flame can cause the rise of water temperature). Over the years, progress has been made in improving the performance of immersion suits. For example, aerogel foam and phase change materials assimilated neoprene foam are developed; bench-top and thermal manikin tests have been introduced to evaluate fabric and garment performance under dangerous conditions, including cold water, chemicals, and micro-organisms. However, the development of high-performance suits is still minimal, and researchers worldwide are more focused on issues such as the development of new materials, fit and size of the suit, water integrity of seals, care and use of immersion suits, and evaluation using thermal dummies.
The wearers of immersion suits or survival suits may experience multi-hazard environments, not only cold water but also flames and hot liquids under some circumstances. Therefore, heat stress is the main issue when helicopter pilots wear an immersion suit, and more research is essential to know about the heat stress generated by these suits during different conditions. More extensive and accurate models need to be evolved to foresee the heat stress when a wearer is in different environmental conditions.
Fit is one of the critical issues of concern for immersion suits to supply sufficient thermal protection. Universal-size immersion suits, designed to fit individuals with an extensive range of heights and weights, can lead to leaking around neck and wrist seals or at the zippers.
The people who wear immersion suits or survival suits may come across multi-hazard environments, not only cold water but also hot liquids and flames. Western Fire Safety designs certified flexible immersion suits and imperial immersion suits.
Visit their website https://www.westernfireandsafety.com and look at the Immersion suits offered by them.
