Heat suit W.I.P

Peter KG6LSE

Hidy Ho everyone ,, I have bean busy! I am working on a heat suit ...

Long story short . I dont like the Iowa cold so I am useing forced heat to keep warm . this Idea has bean floating on my head for years ! so I made the plunge to make it work


THIS suit is one of 2 Iam working on .


I decided to copy the ACES suit for the way my heat suit looks . Orange is easy to see and kinda cool .
ACES Info http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advanced_Crew_Escape_Suit




VIDEO !!!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwCByFM93zI

Today I made with out a pattern! the pants and then decided to integrate them in to the suit . I removed the zipper on the Top section .
Then I combined both parts and attached a zipper to the back ..
The Blue will be orange soon after paint it ..



Now how does parallax fit in to this .. well as soon as I have the cash il be integrating a BS2 with thermal sensors to keep suit happy .

I have right now the prelim code idea :::


this is a sudo flow like chart NOT the actule code .




DO

read the batt
read the thermostat Pot
read the Indoor thermistor
read the outdoor thermistor

Scale those values . ( may use some VARs )


Print the Batt in % on the Serial LCD
wait a few seconds
print the read value in *F for the thermostat pot
wait a few seconds
print the inside temp
wait a few seconds
print the outdoor temp
wait a few seconds

then use the read POT and the indoor temp and PWM OR On/Off Key the Heater ..


LOOP
.......................................................


I contacted ILC Dover who makes space suits for NASA and I have some one there reviewing my plans for safety .
as of now the Air flow is Super ! so I am no danger./

more to follow soon as I work on it this weekend .

ElectricAye

What are you using to generate and distribute heat?

icepuck

You could adapt that to tap into the cooling system of a water cooled motor cycle to use the heat from the engine to keep warm. Diehard motorcyclists could ride their bikes all winter!;)
-dan

Peter KG6LSE

Ice puck : LCG ( liquid cooling garmets) are not that hard to make
the same could like you said be used for heating too.

ElectricAye : Iam useing a brushless fan to pump in the air from the top of the helmet .


I have a few options for heating elemets

Sandstone fireproof resistors are on my list .
So are 1/4W resistors ( metal film ) On a Hi temp PCB .

target heat is about 10 Watts ..

this suit is not ment to bake a person . . Just take the edge off.

ElectricAye

Peter KG6LSE wrote: »

....
I have a few options for heating elemets

Sandstone fireproof resistors are on my list .
So are 1/4W resistors ( metal film ) On a Hi temp PCB ....

For any materials you utilize, consider what fumes or outgassing they might produce when heated, especially because this is going into your breathing(?) air.

Peter KG6LSE

considering i am only running the resistors at 110* F or less this should not be a issue ...I hope ...:)

right now Iam working on the batt pack system

12 V at 3 AH per side with a total AH of 6 for the suit

As much as I HATE NiCd cells . I have a free supply of Sub-C cells to make packs with ..

Unknown

Peter,

It sounds like something I need. My body loses heat in the winter because my body radiates heat and my body doesn't retain heat. People don't understand why my hands will be ice cold when theirs will be warm.

I decided to try motorcycle heated clothing. All I would do is get into a car into the winter, plug my jacket into a 12 volt car outlet and hopefully warm up quicker than the car would heat up.

We bought an electric blanket that works on a different principle. Instead of warming the bed, it warms the blanket by a few degrees and somehow keeps the heat in.

Chuck

Peter KG6LSE

I have a update .


More in the thumbnail area ..

Peter KG6LSE

Today I am working on the helmet as its visor is scratched.

Peter KG6LSE

the suit proper is done .


http://www.flickr.com/photos/peterthethinker/5053280432/


now on to the control systems for it ..
Save some $$ to use for the BS2 and the LCD.

Searider

That helmet looks fairly closed in. What do you do to ensure you have a breathable air mix ?

Peter KG6LSE

6 LPM of air is pushed trugh with a brushless CPU fan .

Yesterday I did a CO2 test on a treadmill . it passed with flying stars!

I have a vid of the test to post ..

EDIT .. Infact with the fan off the suit is safe at a rest activity level .
the fan's so wide the air just passes over the blades ..

Peter KG6LSE

after some empirical thinking form previous results Iam shooting for 48 Watts of heating power .
thanks to the magic of the stamp it will be less then that after PULSEOUT .. so the 48watts is the "OMG Iam freezing Iam giving her all she's got " mode . nornal W will be around 12 to 24 Watts

Temp goal is 73* F .
After Mr Ohm's law this is .25 or so Ohms . and I just so hapen to have from a OLD BJT based car amp a 8 pack of .22Ω resistors YAY no online ordering .

there sandstone and rated at 5W . Yes I know the W is low BUT there in a 2x2 array to share the load . 20 is less then 48W
I think that there being PWMed wil solve this too.

i am mount them later this week .. 10page Comp 2 paper comes first ..

Peter KG6LSE

How to wear Video .

erco

Sounds like you solved Iron Man's icing problem with a BASIC Stamp!

Peter KG6LSE

OH everyone I havea slght issue I need fsome opinoins on

I have a few Voltage choises


I was doing 12V but its hard to get with premade RC packs I have here

I have a 30 pack of 7.2V RC sub C packs

and I want to go to Li Ion One of thease days .

7.2 or so I easy with bo Li and NIxx chems . and I own charger for it

10.8 is the next step up / It can be Dumped charged Via a 12V PSU
( a Real reged 12 V psu is 12 so it cant charge a "12V batt" ..


OR 14.4 and reun it HOT


note the V is not critial but the over all form of HOW I charge it and run it will be .

7.2V is nive as it keeps my paks intact and this way If I ever need to replace a pack I dont have to amek them .
I do Own a set of SWEET 7.2 V NiMh chargers so use with RC packs and My souce of " free " Sub C cells is from 6 cell NiCd RC packs so useing them in there natve form is safer . and I can get plugs for them .
//////////////////////////////////////
Real 12V has just enough overhead to 10.8 to use a LM317 charger to charge a 10.8 pack and it too is common to Li cells and 10 computs well HEHE lazy me and simple numbers . makes math easy LOLs.


12 V is never 12 but some 12.8 to 13 or so V of a lead acid batt .
Thus It can NOt be charged from a Real 12 V PSU ..
/////////////////////////


14 .4 is 2 RC paks but can NEVER be chargged from a normal 12 V unreg wall wart as it to close to thje unload V of said wallwart

//////////////////////////////

I want to hear some othes museings on the issue .


BTW the fan runs from 5 to over 14 V so I dont think the fan cares to much about the In V .

I may do 7.2V system with a demtion engerneering Switch mode ( any volt) to run the 7.2 V subsys from EXT 12 V

this way I can still feed 11 to 14 V to the internal packs as If It was 12 V or so . and Not blow up the 7.2 v system

the idea is to have On the suit back a internal batt system ( in pockets ) to Run it for 1H on full heat . think of a bail out system .
yet have a Input systme for 12V so If Iam near 12V I can tap in to it and feed the WHOLE suit off a ext batt . Like a 12V 7 AH AGM lead acid batt
in a bckpack .or off a Cig plug in a car or what not..

as In My life 12V DC is a VERY common voltage .I have a ton of SLA's in my room for lighting and Ham gear ( if it runs on 12V I use it ( I use a car radio not a normal one and i use 12V LED strips in my room and there running off a 100AH AGM fed froma 30 A Ham PSU .

Think of "OnLine UPSs "))


Lots of info but i am just typeing out loud to document my thoughts .

Hm ..


OH OH One HUGE issue with lower voltages . My idea of useing a TEC to cool and heat may not run on 7.2
.I ll need to test this ..
OK OK the TEC Will run on 6 V .
So 7.2 is still my top pick .
...


EDIT
I have decided on the TEC module as it cools and heats and more , Its a 40 W Module plenty of power I hope and I Fig I can mount it nicely on the helmet .

TECs are not super EFF but I kinda want to try one

I doubt it can heat the air fast enough to keep up with the cold air comming in but its worth a try..

Peter ....

Peter KG6LSE

OK I have decided on 7.2 V . 4 packs in parellel to = allmost 8 AH


this should give a long run time .


Peter

Peter KG6LSE

more data ..

see attachment,

also I have a short Vid on the suit while its in lab ..

Video

erco

Here's $60 battery-heated fleece vest for your consideration... seems pricey for a DoD, but it says it contains "il fibre de carbone". Alora, everything sounds better in Italiano!

http://cgi.ebay.com/Brookstone-ACTIVHEAT-Fleece-Vest/280568174932?_trksid=p1468660.m2000037

PS: the fine print says controller not included. Sounds like a good Stamp project!

Peter KG6LSE

OK Iam back to 12V or so . the 7.2V system was way too low fan flow for super high exertion so I need to bring the far back to 12V or so to make the suit more useable .
Its not s CO2 issue but a Fog issue ..

I have a few options .

1) use a DC-DC to take 9-10.8V Li pack voltage to 12V or more to run the fan . I have seen some Super simple switchers I could use .
If I did this I would use my new Li Pack with its 10.8V output..

2) run a 12V SLA AGM OR NiXx batt system and put the DC-DC as a input charger to let me charge the batts off a 9-17V input ..


and If Iam doing the whole input charger DC-DC I might as well go to 14.4 V so I can just tie two 7.2V packs in to one .. and size wize 2 Packs side by side is the same area roughtly as the rad shack Li-Ion pack and the SLA pack i m useing right now SO pocket wise it would work ..

3) use a 5V fan off a 7805 and the 7.2V packs .. -- not easy to implement now ---

Spiral_72

IMHO I'd find a way to use 7.2V.... The nice thing is the charger would easily run off 12V and once you, or if you switch to Lithium power, the voltage is essentially the same so all you circuitry remains the same.

Jameco has inexpensive fans at a lower voltage. I'm sure they can be had cheaper than Jameco.

Also, with the DC-DC converter, you'll lose efficiency, possibly a lot.... and decrease your run time.

There's lots you can do for anti-fog. Google it. Motorcyclists, and ATV riders have that problem all the time. Also, I suspect if you can direct the airflow across the visor it won't fog.

Cool project!

Peter KG6LSE

10.8 i2 also a common Li Ion voltage and may be enough of for the fan .. Il test tonight to see it its enought ..

I am doing more duct work on the fan too tonight .

Peter

Peter KG6LSE

OK 10.8 it is ... ... its easy to do math on and its plenty of flow and its easy to charge off 12V or a car batt ..
I have 2 packs done . I just need to add thermal cutouts ( one time )
and a 20A """ OMG I have a dead short""" fuse as this is ON a human body in cloths safety is TOPS at all costs ..

Humanoido

Very nice. But we really need a cold suit over here. The other half of the world in like a frying pan within a soup greenhouse gases. Half the time I cannot go outdoors longer than 20 minutes or I get heat stroke. I put a wet towel around me, soak my hair, put ice bottles in pockets, drink ice water, hold ice packets, bathe in cold air conditioner before leaving, and then... I get only about 20 minutes before heat exhaustion. A cold suit would be very useful. Many indoor places, like malls, restaurants, public buildings, are not air conditioned, and keep the heat set on 90 degrees during the winter. A cold suit (must look stylish black) would be useful year round..

Peter KG6LSE

Ok good news the 10.8V batts are running great .

here is some WIP photos of the suit

P!-Ro

Halloween already?

Humanoido--just steal Peter's suit and convert the heating elements to peltiers

Peter--I've been wanting to make something similar so I can ride my bike in the winter, but I'm planning it on burning a fuel to heat liquid flowing through a pad I can stick under my jacket.

Peter KG6LSE

actuality the heater planned is a TEC peltier module . its 40W.

but so far I have not needed it so its not In the helmet .... yet .....


Peter

Peter KG6LSE

Update!
Here is the 10.8V NiCd Pack. its 2 sets of a 9 Sub-C Cells .
assuming 1.8 AH per cell( I have no clue of the actual AH rating) and 10.8V per pack Ill have a 38 Watt-Hour batt pack system ..



I glued a terminal strip on top so I can change terminations with out lots of soldering ...

Peter

P!-Ro

I'm pretty darn sure I didn't copy you, I thing I had the idea from before...but I've now made a heater of my own that warms me while riding my bike. Not quite done yet, I have to stop it from burning me, but it works quite well. Perhaps I should show a picture to show the difference in our way of thinking? (All welded aluminum, liquid fuel and wick powered, steam drives the transfer of heat)

Peter KG6LSE

No where did I imply nor express you copied me ....

Liquid heating garmets are used for decades with underwater divers and with NASA for cooling ..

P!-Ro wrote: »

Peter--I've been wanting to make something similar so I can ride my bike in the winter, but I'm planning it on burning a fuel to heat liquid flowing through a pad I can stick under my jacket.

You relize how BAD this can be . your burning something .

not to mention is a Fire code issue indoors . and while riding your ON A GAS TANK WITH WHEELS . and you want to wear a burner . .. not a good idea .
there may be DOT Laws against some kinds of fuels .

what if your Bike quits and you need to take a cab from said dead bike . Cabs drivers might not let you in if you have fuel on you like that . with a battire I can switch it off anf volla beside the weard "NASA space inmate orange" suit Its inert for the most part ..
you cant inert fuel . and its illegal to dump most fuels .



"""I have to stop it from burning me"""" doing a closed loop PID or just plain feedback with a valve is near imposable . If you attempt to throttle the fuel to the boiler there is HUGE delay from heat to Heat out . and Unless you use a servo on a ball valve or what not you will have a hard time doing conroll . its not like you can PWM a ball valve at 40KHz . . you Could vary the pump speed BUT this means youll also have to throttle the Fuel too.

with a direct resistive system based on a µCU or a discreet thermistor > 741> LM556 PWM > MOSFET you will get in the sub second response time to the heaters output ..

NOW back to the thread .




last night it hit 30*F In Iowa . so I did a full scale test all ( 1 to 3 AM . as I did not apply de-fog I had a slight reduction in visor visibility . I did not need the heater yet as the trap heat was plenty for now . and from the data points I gathered In My head Ill bet I will not need them til it hits close to 0*F..

P!-Ro

--my stove is pure mechanical and wouldn't care if it blew me up--
I like it better that way.

BTW, by gas tank on wheels do you mean motorcycle? Cuz it's a bicycle. I haven't ridden and used it yet, I'm curious as to what drivers will think of flame coming out of my drink holder.