71

New

Method
Thermal

and

Equipment

Properties

for

Measuring

of Textiles

Lubos

Hes,

Ivan

Dolezal

College of Mechanical and Textile Engineering,

VSST, Liberec, Czechoslovakia

Abstract

A theoretical discussion of a new method of measuring thermal properties, particularly the thermal handle of
textilees, is followed by the description of a new Alambeta device and sensor developed for the purpose.
(Received January 14, 1989)

, ,Alambeta
.
, /a1/2(: ,a:
,Alambeta
.(

) ,
63114 )

a textile

1 . Introduction

fabric feels "warm"

or "cool" at the first

short contact with the human skin. The component plays an important
part in textile purchase

The thermal properties of textiles belong to

the most important textile properties. For instance, thermal insulating properties determine
the elementary function of garments. That is
why the measurement of these properties is a
much discussed topic in technical literature'
Most of the studies are devoted, however, to
the measurement of steady state thermal properties, such as thermal conductivity, resistance
and permeability5).
But there are also dynamic state thermal properties of textiles1).Kawabata and Akagi pointed
out their importance already in 1977 and
described them as "warm-cool feeling" quality.
This property is included in the complex parameter of textile handle. The term handle includes, at least, ten single mechanical properties
such as compressibility, the level of surface friction, flexibility, etc., as described in detail in 7),
their evaluation, as a whole, is subjective.
The only thermal characteristic is the "warmcool feeling" property, because it tells us whether

and largely
sequently.

determinates

Yoneda

and Kawabata2)

express

this property

the wear comfort

sub-

were the first to try to

numerically

and applying

physiological
findings3) they proved that the
value of the heat flow qmaa transferred
from the
skin to a (for example cooler) textile fabric may
be the measure
handle during

of the thermal component

of the
the first momens of the skin-

fabric contakt.
Our paper presents
numerical
of textiles.

another

approach

to the

quantification
of the thermal handle
Starting from the ideas of Kawabata,

Akagi and Yoneda, we introduce the "thermal

absorptivity"
b as a measure of the "warm-coolfeeling" property.
Its advantage
lies the

fact, that

depend

on the experiment

on the conditions

it does

not
(for

example on the temperature

diference between
the measuring device and a fabric) and is directly related

T 124

to the other thermal

properties

of tex-

72

tiles

according

to the

relation

below

(5)

(1)
where A-

is

the

density, -the
ured.

This

press

the

tiles,

has

measure

of

the

this

to

be

initial

tion

of x.

the

mined

With

by

partial

two

the

time

t2, where
normal

two

of

the

differential

the

known

holds with
dimensions,

area

deter-

to

the

is the

be calculated

thermal

from

the

diffusivity

which

(7)

relation

accuracy

of relation6) will be better than 1 % 8).

Comparing
the thermal absorptivity
of the
human
tissue
that of common
textiles,
the

This equation will only be solved to determine

the amount
of heat transferred
through
the
contact

of
de-

sufficient accuracy bodies of finite

as long as a good thermal contact is

can

(3)

common

the coefficient

an unambiguous

tion of the heat flow is lower than the thickness of the body h, i. e. if the contact time is the

(2)
a-

eq. (6) that

b enables

follows from the assumption

of the two bodies
being ideal semisolids.
If the depth of penetra-

dimensional

according

relation

where

the

enabled between them, and the time of contact is

short. The condition
of the short contact time

ideal

is

one-

we obtain

desired

termination
of heat flow transferred
through a
contact
area of two bodies ; moreover
eq. (6)

direc-

into

from

heat absorptivity

different

the

brought

equation

It follows

to

bodies.

contact

temperatures

to equation4)

(6)

considered

in

law

variable

tex-

fields

of

the

for the

ab-

two

are

line

bodies

course

solving

bodies

t1>

of

other
in

relation

ex-

"thermal

in

the

to

handle
of

Applying

the

meas-

chosen

semi-solids

to

the

been

used

temperatures

contact

fabric

temperature

homogeneous

p-

the

thermal

commonly
contact

perpendicnlar

of

quantity

calculation
ideal

the

the
is

calculate

is

quatity

new

sorptivity"

conductivity,
heat

because

In

thermal

specific

area of the two bodies.

human

tissue

proximation
absorptivity.

To sim-

plify the calculation,

we shall assume the thermal absorptivity
b, of the 1st body to be much

2.

can be considered
to be the body

Main Features
Device

higher than that of the 2nd body b2. When the

two bodies come into contact, the contact sur-

in the 1st ap-

of higher

thermal

of the New Alabeta

face of the 2nd body will immediately

take up
temperature
t,, where in the longer distance from

As soon as the warmer skin comes into contact

with a cooler textile fabric, heat flow begins to

the contact plane the 2nd

original temperature
t2.

be transferred
from the skin into
fabric. The approximate
time process

the textile
of the heat

flow is shown in Fig. 1 .

Essential for the thermal

is the value

For these

initial

body

and boundary

will keep its

conditions

we

can solve eq. (2) in the known

way using
Gaussian error integral8).
For the relative temperature
0 the solution will
be

objectify
tiles.

The

amount
time

bodies
law

can
for

of
through
be

obtained

a one-dimensional

heat

flow
the

contact
by

means

transferred

of

of
the

the

description

latter
was used
in their device to

feeling" quality
of the

most

of tex-

probably

the 1st known device for the measurement

of the
"warm -cool feeling" quality of textile fabrics is

within

area

the "warm-cool

A detailed

(4)

the

sensation

of the heat flow peak ; the

Kawabata, Akagi and Yoneda

given

two

in 2),3). If preheated

copper

block

is ap-

plied to the textile fabric ; after application

the
temperature
of the block begins to drop. The
measurement
is repeated two times and different

Fourier's

case

T125

( )Vol.42,

73

No.8(1989)

on a very thin insulation piate. As this temperature diference is very low, a special differential
multiple-thermoelement
The textile sample

is used.
5 having initial

tempera-

ture t0 is placed on metal plate 6, having

the same

temperature.
The paralel

guide

control

7 secures

a relative

paralel position of all surfaces in thermal contact. An arresting device keeps the metal plate at
Fig.

1 The process
of heat flow in skin
thermal
contact
with a fabric.

boundary

conditions

of

the

sample.

by

differentiation

The

of

The

thermal
can

A
the

device

of

also

uses

a pulse
surface.

diagram
the
of

in

metal

block

plate,

at

The
is

design
T/T
The
in

the

of

and

is

1 is

maintained

of

35C,

directly
with

very

which
into

by
low

the

means

the

metal

is
the

sensor
time

The effect of the definite

of

by

that

flow sensor was discussed

that the thermal resistance

measured. A functional
device has shown that

new

constant

boundary

0.1s.
function
measuring

of

this
of

heat
the

flow

sensor

temperature

The device is prois governed

by eq.

thickness

to constant
of the heat

in 12). It was found

and capacity of the

heat flow sensor could be neglected

when thermal properties
of non-metallic
materials
were

of

textile

4 of

by microcomputer.

free textile surface would be brought

temperature.

free
in

inside

transferred

It

temperature

ap-

textile fabric 5, the boundary

condition of 1st
kind would hold far the textile surface, i. e., the

on

the

illustrated
the

system

level

at

here,

VSST

Yoneda.

The pressure

(2) in case the heat flow sensor 4 was intimately

thin, then, after the plate has descended on the

at

based

thickness.

tected by patents10).110
The heat flow time course

the

later

roughly

condition

device

determined

of

years

Akagi

But,

flow

operating
<

is

control

heat

the

calculations.

Engineering

applied

a constant

human.
fabric

Textile

boundary

a temperature

the

capacity

some

Kawabata,

2.

determined
of

the fabric

plied to the sample during the test is constant

and can be preset. The device can operate either
in analogue or semiautomatic
numerical
modes

side

controlled

further

developed

The
Fig.

back

course

and
by

Czechoslovakia,

the

textile

time

measures

the
is

height H above the sample before the test is

started.
An incremental
scanner
(not shown)

the

applied.

obtained

of

Liberec,

the

block

device,

Depertment

in

the

at

flow qmax

conductivity
be

new

secured

heat
from

temperature

sample

are

during

conditions

study
there

of 1st kind,

(but different) temperatures

the texile fabric.

consists
difference

2. 1

of the Alambeta
can be assumed
i. e., consant

on the both sides of

Analytical solution of the thermal field in

textiles under asymetrical
boundary con-

ditions of 1st kind

Under the particular
boundary
basic equation')
will be solved
Laplace transform. For the initial

conditions

the

by means of
zero condition

related to the difference between the temperature of the textile fabric and that of the base and
environment

ta, i. e., for

(9)

we obtain
ential
Fig. 2 The schematical
chart the analogue
of the device Alambeta.

version

by

transformation

a normal

differ-

equation

(10)

T 126

74

Denoting

the

equation

two

roots

of

1 st characteristic

with

(11)
we can

write

the solution

in the

form

(12)
The constants
boundary

C1, C2 are determinated

from

the

conditions

The x-cordinate

is considered,

the precedent case, positive

from the base.

Fig.

(13)
from

as distinct

3 The typical
time
through
the heat
Alambeta.

dependence
flow sensor

of heat flow
in the device

if it points upwards
obtain

Equation(12)with
the given boundary
conditions is solved subsequently
by the known adap-

(18)

tations of the image of the f unction(10) and by

calculating
the original to the image from the
sum of residues.
Through inneral
aptations

The

series

transformation

equation

iteration,

will

be

numerically

for m > 1. Introducing

we obtain

the

solved

4 members

following

by

of the

relations

and other ad(19)

wo obtain the final form

;20)
Time

(14)
Through

differentiation

and

substitution

the

relations

through

the

of

in the
for

the

upper

the

Fourier's
heat

temperature

(s)

law we obtain
flow

fabric

the

the

value

of

of

relations

Fig.

3,

is
the

then

time

of

eq.

the

de-

period
measure-

(17).

the

heat

the

relation

from

by

beginning

validity

determined

these

to

from

to

The

meas-

in

according

elapsed

ment

transferred

side of the textile

interval m

termined

absorptivity

is

then

ured

(21)
(15)

for >
The

0 (when 0,

final

thermal
this

q/h, /

relation(15)

will

conductivity
effect

value

of

we
the

have
heat

first

the
to

flow

to

calculate

sample

know

q(h, )

the
in

the

tested.
steady

the

The

To
state

the

form

of

tions
we

the

heat

flow

the

non-stationary

represented

q(h, )

have

to

in

at

part
by

determine
least

of

a parallel

to

the

one

size

of

moment

the

course

the

time

of
axis

in

the

textile

Fig.

When

the

simplifies

non-stationary
stationary

the
value
value,

method

of

of

q(h, )

i. e.,

if

it

evaluation
is

if
multiple

this

the

of

fabric

holds

testing
the

(17)

thermal

Substituting

this

assumption

in relation15)

Fig.

to

the

resultant

all
rela-

and

b.

Alambeta

simply

it,
by

supply

of ,

controlled
is

In

recorded

3 had

calculation

sample

analogue
01.

were

in

the

Start

automatically
It

in

the

Alambeta

substituted

computer

the

the

02

placed

in

the

device.

3.

the

be

of

shows

measurement

(16), (20), (21) for

version

q(h, )

2.
called

courses

to

With

of

the

The

values

Fig.

device,

of

a plotter.

Handling
Device

in

the

results

the

and
Alambeta

diagram

version

(16)
Furthermore

Description
New

approaching ).

serve

of

3.

we

tistical

T127

is

depressed

descend

sample,

measure

(at

preset

the

In

more

measured,

device

than

of

the

the
begin

40

seconds

the
thickness

measurement(3)

on

textile

and

including
fabric

will

head
of

level)

no

resistance, qmax,
characteristics

the
measuring

thickness

pressure

procedure.
quantities

the

values
and

the
all
of
stawill

75

( )Vol.42,No.8(1989)

be displayed on the screen. The calculation of all

quantities occcurs either under application of
the resultant relation 20 or by the co-called integral method. The latter gives higher accuracy
with thin textiles, but is unable to distinguish
between the face and back side. Simultaneously
the inherent drawbacks of the two methods are
corrected by a programme controlled system.
Completed presently at the Department of
Nonwovens of VSST in Liberec is the development of a compact computer controlled version
Alambeta 03. It will allow to test 50mm thick
textile fabrics and thermal-insulating webs
designed for end-use applications, such as
warming suits and garments and mountaineer's
sleeping bags.
4.

Examples of Practical
of Alambeta Devices

due to the less compact surface structure

of the
latter. On the other hand, openend spun yarn is
known
handle.
Table

to give a somewhat

Dependence
capacity

The device

cooler

of thermal
on

the type

(more hard)

absorption
of

the

yarn.

can also help distinguish

and ob-

jectify the degree of raising of a fabric (the

values
of thermal
absorptivity
can differ as
much as 100%), determine
the amount of finishing agent applied to the textile fabric.
It is planned to build a greater series

Application

Alambeta

The device is presently used to measure thermal properties of woven and knitted fabrics and
nonwovens.
Theoretical research is conducted of the effect
of the type of fibrous material on the thermal
handle of standard woven fabrics. The results,
that will be published in 14) indicate, that both
the value of the new unity of thermal handlethermal absorptivity b, and the value of gmax
(measured in this case also by Alambeta),belonging to the fabric of similar structure, are in
similar way proportional to the equilibrium.
moisture of the fibres used. The sensitivity of the
device has been proved in a series of measurements on the thermal handle of similar plain
single jersey knitted fabrics made of yarns of
similar fineness (14.5 tex) and composition (65/
35 polyester/cotton) but produced on different
spinning systems.
Also measured, for comparison has been a
knitted fabric made of textured filament yarn.
The results are given in Table 1. The data in
Tabel 1 show that the warmest (softest) handle is
obtained with the friction spun yarn obviously

T128

devices

in Czechoslovakia

of the

and incor-

porate the thermal

absorptivity
of textiles
Czechoslovakian
Textile Standards.

in

References
1) Kawabata, S., Akagi, Y ; J. Text. Mach. Soc. Japan, 23,
1977, 2, 51.
2) Yoneda, M.,Kawabata, S ; J. Text. Mach. Soc. Japan, 29,
1983, 4, 73.
3) Yoneda, N., Kawabata, S ; J. Text. Mach. Soc. Japan, 31,
1985, 4, 73.
4) Farnworth, B ; Text. Res. J., 1983, 12, 717.
5) Holcombe, B. V., Hoschke, B. N ; Text. Res. J., 1983, 6,
371.
6) Sheba, A., EI-Okeily ; M. Effect of Finishing Operations
on the Insulating Power of Wool In : Proc. 8th Int. Heat
Transfer Conf. Vol. 2. San Francisco 1986.
7) Kawabata, S ; J. Industrial Fabrics, 2 , 1984, 4, 4.
8) Lykov, A. V., Theory of Thermal Conduction (in Russian) Moscow 1952.
9) Hes, L ; Czechoslovakian Patent Nr. 250 316.
10) Dolezal, I., Hes, L ; Czechoslovakian patent Nr. 259 831.
11) Hes, L ; Thermal Properties of Nonwovens. In : Congress Index 87, Genf 1987.
12) Hes, L ; Informations-bulletin of Wool Res. Inst., Brno,
CSSR, 37, 1986, 4, 24.
13) Dolezal,I., Thesis ; Faculty of Text. Eng., Liberec, CSSR,
1987.
14) Hes, L., Hybl, V ; The Influence of Fibre Polymer on the
Warm-cool Feeling of Adjacent Fabrics, Text. Res. J.
1989 (in preparation).