Heat flux sensor with minimal impact on boundary conditions

A technique for determining the heat transfer on the far surface of a wall based on measuring the heat flux and temperature on the near wall is presented. Although heat transfer measurements have previously been used to augment temperature measurements in inverse heat conduction methods, the sensors used alter the heat flow through the surface, disturbing the very quantity that is desired to be measured. The ideal sensor would not alter the boundary condition that would exist were the sensor not present. The innovation of this technique in that it has minimal impact on the wall boundary condition. Since the sensor is placed on the surface of the wall, no alteration of the wall is needed. The theoretical basis for the experimental technique as well as experimental results showing the heat flux sensor performance is presented. (C) 2004 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.