• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.310-317
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• 2024

In this study, Aimed to develop technology to ensure the safety of firefighters responding to hydrogen incidents and to review the performance of protective super absorbent polymer (SAP) that could help maintain the thermal protection performance of equipment with protective properties. Tests were conducted, including bench-scale and full-scale thermal exposure tests, to review the protective performance of SAP using firefighting garments commonly used by firefighters. The results showed that without SAP application, 2nd degree burn areas were measured at 9.4%, and 3rd degree burn areas at 7.7%. In contrast, when SAP was applied, the percentage of 2nd degree burn areas decreased to 7% on the lower body, and there was no temperature rise causing 3rd degree burns. Therefore, it is expected that by applying SAP to the outer surface of firefighter garments, even under temporarily high temperature conditions such as hydrogen jet flames, thermal damage to firefighters could be protected for a certain period.