Theoretical Investigation of Heat and Moisture Transfer through Porous Textile Materials

The phenomenon of heat and moisture transport through porous textile media is a natural problem encountered in real life and has been studied over years by many researchers. However, since the flow rate of moisture diffusing through a clothing fabric is too small to be measured directly, the measurement is usually indirect and the interaction between thermal and moisture transport is not considered.

A mathematical model was introduced in this study to describe the moisture migration and thermal transport through porous textile materials to evaluate the thermal clothing comfort and the interaction between heat and moisture transportation. Heat and mass transportation parameters and the distribution of moisture and temperature within porous textiles are mathematically derived based on the energy and moisture conservation equations during the transportation. In addition, an experimental principle is established to simultaneously measure four moisture and thermal coefficients introduced in this study.