First visualization of temperature fields in liquids at high pressure using thermochromic liquid crystals

Abstract

A first application of encapsulated thermochromic liquid crystals (TLCs) for visualizing temperature fields in pressurized liquids was studied experimentally. By means of a tempered high-pressure optical cell, investigations were performed in a wide temperature range and at pressures up to 7000 bar. The measured calibration curves of isochromes in the pressure/temperature domain as well as photographically documented temperature fields at high pressure are presented and discussed. The results found illustrate that TLCs provide an efficient instrument for investigating thermofluiddynamical processes even at high pressure.