HFITS: An analysis tool for calculating heat flux to planar surfaces using infrared thermography

Abstract

HFITS is a software tool that supports experimental measurements of heat flux over planar surfaces using infrared thermography. This technique enables spatially and temporally resolved heat flux measurements at a higher resolution than arrays of traditional point sensors. The target audience is researchers and engineers in thermal engineering disciplines. Developed in Python with a graphical front end, the software is accessible both to advanced users as well as to users with a more fundamental knowledge of complex thermogram manipulation and heat transfer analysis methods. HFITS consists of two main components: pre-processing of infrared thermograms (obtained from heat transfer experiments), and inverse heat transfer analysis (to deduce heat flux over the planar surface in those experiments). The software offers comprehensive functionalities, including support for metadata handling, a graphical interface for selection of regions of interest, the ability to import additional temperature measurements to enhance convective heat transfer estimates, and the exporting of both computed field data and contour videos. This open-source software broadens access to advanced experimental and analytical techniques to support thermal analyses in a wide range of engineering and research applications.