High-Frequency Heat Flux Sensor Calibration and Modeling

Abstract

A new method of in-situ heat flux gage calibration is evaluated for use in convective facilities with high heat transfer and fast time response. A Heat Flux Microsensor (HFM) was used in a shock tunnel to simultaneously measure time-resolved surface heat flux and temperature from two sensors fabricated on the same substrate. A method is demonstrated for estimating gage sensitivity and frequency response from the data generated during normal transient test runs. To verify heat flux sensitivity, shock tunnel data are processed according to a one-dimensional semi-infinite conduction model based on measured thermal properties for the gage substrate. Heat flux signals are converted to temperature, and vice versa. Comparing measured and calculated temperatures allows an independent calibration of sensitivity for each data set. The results match gage calibrations performed in convection at the stagnation point of a free jet and done by the manufacturer using radiation. In addition, a finite-difference model of the transient behavior of the heat flux sensor is presented to demonstrate the first-order response to a step input in heat flux. Results are compared with shock passing data from the shock tunnel. The Heat Flux Microsensor recorded the heat flux response with an estimated time constant of 6 μs, which demonstrates a frequency response covering DC to above 100 kHz.