In extreme cold environments such as polar expeditions, outdoor exploration, and cold-chain operations, the thermal performance of insulated clothing is directly linked to human safety. How can the heat retention of garments be accurately verified under ultra-low temperatures?
Thermal manikins equipped with high-precision thermal conduction simulation systems and full-dimensional sensor matrices can reproduce human metabolic heat production, sweat evaporation, and heat loss processes 1:1 in environments ranging from -70°C to 45°C.
Biomimetic Body Temperature Control: Intelligent heating modules precisely simulate resting and active metabolic rates (50–500 kcal/h adjustable) with an error of less than ±1%. In -70°C environments, the manikin’s core temperature can be stabilized within ±0.3°C, far exceeding the industry standard of ±1°C.
Ultra-Low Temperature Adaptability: The manikin operates stably at -70°C, with a sealed circulation system preventing condensation interference. After 72 hours of continuous operation at -70°C, sensor signal decay is only 0.2%.
Millimeter-Level Thermal Distribution Monitoring: Over 200 thermocouples capture real-time body surface temperature, combined with infrared thermography to generate visual heat flow maps. In -70°C testing, garment weak points can be identified with 0.1°C accuracy—five times more precise than traditional methods.
Case Study: Outdoor Brand Ultra-Cold Test
The manikin simulated a “-70°C stationary 6-hour” scenario to evaluate clothing performance across three dimensions:
Heat Retention Rate: Core temperature set at 37°C, monitoring the temperature difference between garment interior and exterior. Premium garments maintained a ≤2°C variance over 6 hours, while standard products exceeded 8°C, exposing heat loss risks. Garments using aerogel materials reduced heat loss by 45% compared to traditional down jackets at -70°C.
Moisture Transmission Efficiency: Internal humidity sensors tracked sweat evaporation. Poorly breathable garments saw a 30% rise in internal humidity within 4 hours, increasing “cold conduction.” Ergonomically optimized fabrics improved moisture transmission efficiency to 85%, minimizing condensation accumulation.
Joint Motion Heat Loss: Articulated manikin joints (shoulder, elbow, knee) simulated bending to evaluate the effect of fabric stretch on insulation. Garments using elastic composite materials reduced heat loss by 15%, confirming the importance of structural design on thermal performance.
R&D: Provides precise data for fabric selection (e.g., aerogel, graphene) and structural design, reducing development cycles by 30%. One global brand improved cold-protection performance by 25% at -50°C, and EN 342 certification time was reduced from 6 months to 3 months.
Quality Control: Replaces risky and inefficient human testing with standardized, repeatable evaluation. At -45°C, tests of 100 protective garments showed a batch temperature variance standard deviation of only 0.8°C, well below the industry allowance of 2°C.
Scenario-Based Applications: Custom simulations for firefighting suits, space suits, and other specialized clothing under extreme conditions. In simulated polar storms (-70°C, wind 15 m/s), the manikin quantified windproof performance to 0.1 m/s, ensuring uncompromised protection.
