Proposed Experimental Technique for Measuring Heat Transfer Coefficients Using a Pulsed Periodic Surface Heat Flux

Abstract

An analytical and numerical investigation has been carried out to ascertain the possibility of using a pulsed periodic surface heat flux to measure local surface heat transfer coefficients. The proposed technique is an extension of a previously proven experimental method. It is based upon the premise that the harmonics of a surface temperature response to an imposed periodic pulse will display phase shifting behavior that is a function of the thermophysical properties of the surface, the local heat transfer coefficient and the harmonic frequency. The phase behavior is not a function of the magnitude of the energy deposited by the pulse. Since phase behavior is being investigated there is no requirement to calibrate the surface temperature-sensing device. The numerical solution confirms the analytical results, which were obtained using a non-rigorous mathematical assumption. Results indicate that in order to maximize the sensitivity of the proposed experimental technique the pulse frequency should be kept low, the surface layer thin and the substrate thermal conductivity and diffusivity as low as possible.