Abstract:

In order to study the influence of the air gap in firefighters' protective clothing on thermal protective performance, the development progress, the latest developments and the existing problems of the research were reviewed from three aspects, including the thickness and location, the influence factors and the mesaurement methods of air gap in firefighters' clothing. The future trends in this area were predicted based on current research status. The thermal protective performance of firefighters' protective clothing are influenced by the thickness and pesition of air gap entrapped in firefighter clothing, which is mainly influenced by fabric mechanical properties, clothing fitness and body motion. Currently, the three-dimensional body scanning technology is widely used for measuring the distribution of air gap in firefighters' protective clothing. Future research should pay more attention to the mechanism analysis and the development of measurement methods of air gap in firefighters' clothing. 

Key words: fierfighters' protective clothing, air gap in clothing, thermal protective performance, three-dimensional body scanning technology