Thin Layer Thermography - a new heat transfer measurement technique

Abstract

 In order to overcome the shortcomings of conventional temperature instrumentation to compute heat transfer rates, a novel technique for heat transfer measurement is presented. Stemming from infrared thermography, the potential for further development of the ‘Thin Layer Thermography’ is demonstrated. This new measurement technique is based on the wavelength dependent transmissivity of thin layers. It captures temperature distributions on the wall surface and simultaneously in a prescribed and well defined depth of the wall of a given object of interest. This enables the calculation of a temperature gradient normal to the surface and therefore the determination of the wall heat flux.