A hot cylinder drop test for quantifying the contact protective performance of fabrics against intense conductive...

Objectives. High-temperature metal splash is one of the common factors leading to safety accidents in metallurgy and casting industries. There are few quantitative studies on the performance of thermal protective fabrics in a metal splash environment, as existing standards rely on qualitative damage criteria. Methods. A new method for evaluating the contact protective performance (CPP) of fabric was proposed. The second-degree skin burn time, calculated based on the skin temperature change curves, was adopted as a key metric for the quantitative analysis of the CPP. Furthermore, the effects of precisely controlled contact temperature and moisture content on the CPP were investigated. Results. Fabric thickness had a more significant impact on the CPP than fiber composition. Fabrics containing meta-aramid fibers exhibited superior protective performance compared to their flame-retardant cotton counterparts. The second-degree skin burn time at a contact temperature of 600 °C was 4.3-20.2 s. During the transition from a dry state to 100% wet for the test fabrics, an optimal value of the CPP might exist. The findings provide theoretical support for design of the protective clothing, which is crucial for enhancing the safety of personnel in the metallurgy and casting industries.