1.Design of a new full-face respiratory protection mask for on-site use at nuclear facilities
Yansong SUN ; Yi HAN ; Guodong LI ; Jinzhong ZENG ; Jie LIU ; Changbin DU ; Xiaomiao CHI ; Zhiwei CHEN ; Junjie JI ; Qinjian CAO
Chinese Journal of Radiological Health 2024;33(6):642-648
Objective Developing a new type of full-face respiratory protective mask for nuclear facility sites to enhance the sound transmission function and improve the facial adaptability. Methods Combined with feedback from on-site practical needs, this study utilized finite element simulation and ergonomic design methods to investigate the voice transmission units of full-face masks and the facial features of workers at key nuclear facilities. Based on the research results, a new full-face respiratory protection mask structure was designed. Results The optimized structure of passive thin film voice transmission unit significantly enhanced voice transmission efficiency, reducing average voice transmission loss by approximately 70% compared to the control group using thin plate units of equivalent thickness. The existing facial feature test panels insufficiently cover and unevenly classify the facial features of workers at key nuclear facilities. In this study, a specialized test panel based on measurement data achieved a total coverage of 98.5% with high distribution uniformity within each class, providing effective guidance for redesigning full-face mask structural parameters. In comparison to foreign products currently utilized in nuclear facilities, the newly designed full-face mask structure exhibited excellent tightness and structural safety and reliability, and can be cleaned, decontaminated, and reused. Conclusion The results of this study provide significant guidance for improving and optimizing full-face respiratory protection mask used at nuclear facilities, as well as promoting domestic production of high-quality full-face respiratory protection masks.