Self-made cooling jacket a hit for Wuxi electricians

Qin Xiao, a technician in Wuxi, has invented an air-conditioned suit to keep electrical workers cool during the summer. [Photo/ wxrb.com]

An electrical engineer in Wuxi has invented a special cooling jacket to help his colleagues survive the summer heat.

Maintaining high-voltage power lines is so dangerous that workers have to wear full-body insulation suit to stop themselves being electrocuted.

But the 10 kg suits can get unbearably hot: The temperature inside the suit is 10 degrees higher than the air temperatures in summer, and workers are often at risk of heatstroke.

"When taking off the suit after working for an hour, you can literally pour the sweat out," said Qin Xiao, senior technician at Wuxi Power Supply Company and inventor of the cooling jacket.

Qin's invention neutralizes this. Weighing less than 500 grams, the jacket has a thin pipe wrapped around it, connected to an air conditioning compressor and two lithium batteries.

The compressor pumps cool water around the pipe, able to keep the water 10 degrees colder than the outside air temperature for two hours.

Qin's jacket has been a big hit with his fellow technicians, and has even been granted a national patent.

"Cooling down outdoor workers in such heat not only makes them feel comfortable, but also guarantees the safety of their lives and equipment," said Qin.