This document analyzes the heat captured by a marching band uniform through analytical, numerical, and experimental methods. Analytically, the temperature at the skin surface was calculated to be 24.8°C with the uniform compared to 24.6°C without. Numerically using COMSOL, the temperature with the uniform was around 34.5°C. Experimentally measuring skin surface temperature, there was an increase of around 4°C with the uniform, bringing the temperature to approximately 34°C. The numerical and experimental results agreed to within 1.5%. Therefore, the marching band uniform increases the skin surface temperature by trapping additional heat.

1. Heat Captured in a
Marching Band Uniform
Cassidy Laird
BE 4120 Final Project

2. Overall Outward Effect
Credit for photo: John Bolton Photography

3. Why?
 Observations – uniforms cause members to feel
extremely warm – heat exhaustion is common
 Winter time – acts as extra layer of clothing, often have
to wear many layers
 How much does the uniform actually affect this?

4. Solving Analytically
 0. See right 
 1. Human, with and
without uniform
 2. Flat plate
 3. x direction – assumed to be width (front to back)
 4. Assume no bulk flow in/out; heat transfer by conduction
and free convection at surface
Credit for image: Tiger Band Media

5. Continued
 5. BC 1: Convection at surface:
BC 2: Symmetrical temperature profile assumed:
 6. Heat generation – assume constant for relative time
frame
 7. Thermal conductivity (k) assumed constant
 8. Assumed steady state (short time frame)
 9.
 10. Solve for unknown – temperature at surface of skin with
and without uniform (for all work, see Appendix)
Final equation:

6. Solution
 Analytically – without: 24.6°C; with: 24.8°C
 Numerically – used COMSOL model
 W/o – theoretically says 37°C
 W/ - range of ~304-311 K (31-38 °C), Average = 34.5 °C

7. Experimentation
 Measured temperature near surface of skin for 30
minutes without uniform and 30 minutes with
 Outside temperature: roughly 22-23°C (measured
simultaneously)
 Cloudy conditions – disregard solar radiation in
analysis
 Used HOBO Data loggers
 Imported data and graphed

8. Figure 1. Temperatures
logged for outside air
(average), and near skin
with and without uniform.
Figure 2. Relative humidity
logged with and without
uniform.
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35
Temperature[C]
Time Passed [min]
Without Uniform
With Uniform
Air Temperature
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
0 10 20 30 40
RelativeHumidity[%]
Time Passed [min]
Without Uniform
With Uniform

9. Conclusions
 Final results:
 Analytically – 24.8°C (76.6°F) with uniform
 Numerical – 34.5°C (94.1°F) with uniform
 Experimentally – ~34°C (93°F) with uniform
 Increase of ~4°C (7.2°F) with uniform
 Numerical & Experimental – 1.5% difference
 Averaged COMSOL values, experimental factors
 Experimental & analytical – 27% difference
 Assumptions made, different method of solving,
experimental factor

10. Special thanks to:
 Tiger Band for the loan of the uniform
 Dr. Caye Drapcho for teaching us this material, and her
aid to me in this project
 Jeremiah Davis for help with the HOBOs
https://twitter.com/cutigerband
http://www.clemson.edu/majors/biosystems-engineering

11. References
Drapcho, Caye. “Lecture 4: Modes of Heat Transfer.” BE 4120. Clemson University,
Clemson. 26 January 2015. Lecture.
Drapcho, Caye. “Lecture 5: SS conduction/convection.” BE 4120. Clemson University,
Clemson. 28 January 2015. Lecture.
Drapcho, Caye. “Lecture 6: SS conduction/convection.” BE 4120. Clemson University,
Clemson. 4 February 2015. Lecture.
Drapcho, Caye. “Lecture 8: Heat Diffusion Equation.” BE 4120. Clemson University,
Clemson. 9 February 2015. Lecture.
Drapcho, Caye. “Lecture 9: Boundary Conditions.” BE 4120. Clemson University,
Clemson. 11 February 2015. Lecture.
Drapcho, Caye. “Lecture 15: Free convection.” BE 4120. Clemson University,
Clemson. Date. Lecture.
Drapcho, Caye. “Introduction to COMSOL.” BE 4120. Clemson University, Clemson.
13 February 2015. Lecture.
Nave. 2014. Thermal Conductivity. HyperPhysics. Georgia State University. Available
at: http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/tables/thrcn.html. Accessed
12 April 2015.
Specific Heat. The Engineering Toolbox. Available at:
http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/specific-heat-solids-d_154.html.
Accessed 11 April 2015.
2015. Polyethylene Terephthalate. Wikipedia. Wikipedia. Available at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyethylene_terephthalate. Accessed 11 April
2015.
2015. Wool: density in 285 measurement units. Aqua-Calc. AVCalc LLC. Available at:
http://www.aqua-calc.com/page/density-table/substance/wool. Accessed
11 April 2015.

12. Appendices:
Free convection coefficient

13. Appendices: Integration

14. Appendices: Integration
Final equation:

15. Appendices: Temperature Calculation