Forced Flow Water Transport Tester (FFWTT) Characterizing Different Sweat Rate

The water absorption and transport properties of fabrics are important in determining the thermophysiological comfort of apparel and health-care products. Forced FFWTT can be divided into (i) sample stage and (ii) water supply part. On top of the stage, the testing specimen was placed in-between two layers of standard material for examining the direction of water spread. A compression loading was placed above the sample to ensure even contact between the layers. For the water supply part, syringe pump was utilized which enables constant rate of water supply. For the measurement parameters, the amount of water absorbed, the water spreading area and the water content of each layer was measured. The results showed that it was highly sensitive and reproducible in differentiating fabrics and it has strong correlation with subjective wetness sensation.