Thermoregulatory Clothing System
for Building Energy Saving
PI: Jintu Fan (Cornell FSAD);
Co-PI: Huiju Park (Cornell FSAD);
Co-PI: Tasha Lewis (Cornell FSAD)
Co-PI: Edwin Kan (Cornell ECE);
Co-PI: Ronggui Yang (U Colorado ME)
Duration of the Award : 04/27/2015 to 04/26/2018
Description of Technology
• Breathable undershirt embedded with
microtubes.
• Supplying of next-to-skin moving air
for thermoregulation.
• Sensing of skin temperature and
wireless communication using fabric
antenna
• Intelligent control of microclimate.
• Efficient and compact thermoelectric
energy conversion unit.
An air-conditioning garment system consisting of an undergarment fitted with
detachable micro-tubes and an electro-mechanical heating/cooling device
(EMD), providing next-to-skin cooling/warm air for thermoregulation.
Value Proposition and Uniqueness
• Improved personal comfort, particularly in extreme conditions.
• HVAC energy saving for indoor occupants.
• Effective cooling/heating function (up to 27 watts cooling and 18
watts heating) with COP>1.
• Portable personal air-conditioning.
• Machine washable of the undergarment after detaching the micro-
tubes and the electro-mechanical heating/cooling device (EMD).
• Little effect on choice of outer wear and appearance.
• Affordable (~$10 for undergarment, ~$200 for the EMD unit which
can be used for 3 to 5 years).
Key Challenges and Achievements
• Pressure drop in the micro-tubes.
• Seamless integration with the clothing system.
Key Challenges and Achievements
• Pressure drop in the micro-tubes.
• Seamless integration with the clothing system.
• Compactness and efficiency of thermoelectric energy
conversion unit.
• Accuracy in next-to-skin sensing and optimization in wireless
communication & control.
Key Challenges and Achievements
Weight: 430 g
Dimension: 14cm×8cm×4cm
passive sensor tag on undergarmentRFID reader
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Modified TECU-1
Modified TECU-2C
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1st TECU prototype
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Market Discovery & Penetration
Elderly care: ~$300B Police First respondants
Infantry Air force Equine
Potential Collaboration with DELTA Community
• Thermal manikin testing
• Wireless passive tag sensing and
communication technology
• Apparel design and manufacturing
• Market discovery and commercialization