Tissue burns due to contact between a skin surface and highly conducting metallic media in the presence of inter-tissue boiling. Issue 2 (March 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Abraham, John P.; Stark, John; Gorman, John; Sparrow, Ephraim; Minkowycz, W.J.
• Is Part Of: Burns. Volume 45:Issue 2(2019)
• Page Start: 369
• Page End: 378
• Publication Date: 2019-03
• Subjects: Bioheat transfer -- Contact burns -- Hot surfaces -- Burns -- Thermal injury; Burns and scalds -- Periodicals; 617.11
• DOI: 10.1016/j.burns.2018.09.010
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0305-4179

Abstract

Highlights: Calculations to determine the skin temperatures after contact with hot metals. Included inter-tissue phase change (evaporation). The calculations are found to agree well with prior studies. Studied the impact of various temperatures, contact durations, and interface conditions on the results. Abstract: A numerical-based model was developed and implemented to determine the spatial and temporal temperature distributions within skin tissue resulting from thermal contact with a heated and high thermal conductivity metallic medium. In the presence of wet tissue, boiling is likely to occur, thereby affecting the probability of inducing burns. This investigation deals with how contact between a hot, highly conductive metallic material and skin gives rise to burns. In particular, the study focuses on the likelihood that metals typically used in cooking or industrial applications may cause burns. Insofar as the surfaces under consideration are above the boiling temperature of water, a mathematical model including phase change was developed. That model allowed different thermophysical properties to be respectively employed for dry and wet tissues. Multiple processes and their governing parameters were investigated to assess their impact on burn severity, including the temperature of the metal, the duration of contact, the contact resistance between the surface and the skin, the temperature range over which phase change occurred, and the cooling environment after the exposure. It was discovered that the most important parameters are the surface temperature and exposure duration. The other conditions/parameters had lesser impacts on the results.