Conducted heat vector sensor
OwnerRobert Hammer, Lawrence W. Langleyinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A sensor designed for measurement of conducted heat flux passing through a solid object consists of a thin film thermopile deposited on a planar substrate whose thermal properties match those of the solid object. The thermopile is protected by a thin rectangular plate made of the same material as the substrate. The sensor is imbedded in the solid object and measures the vector of heat flux along the thermopile axis with minimal distortion of the heat flow pattern. Applications include measurement of heat flux in casting molds, boiler tubes, well surveying instruments and laser weapons testing.
Claims11
A sensor for measuring heat flux in a solid body comprising:
- a thin substrate of thermally conducting, electrically insulating material;
- a thin film thermopile deposited on a surface of said substrate with hot junctions near one end of said substrate and cold junctions near the other end of said substrate;
- a thin, flat plate of thermally conducting, electrically insulating material for covering the thermopile on said substrate;
- electrical connections on said thin film thermopile for measuring its voltage;
- and
- means for imbedding said substrate and said plate within said solid body.
A method for measuring heat flux in a solid body consisting of:
- depositing a thin film thermopile on a a thin substrate of thermally conducting, electrically insulating material with hot junctions near one end of said substrate and cold junctions near the other end of said substrate;
- covering said thin film thermopile on said substrate with a thin, flat plate of thermally conducting, electrically insulating material;
- imbedding said substrate and said plate within said solid body;
- and
- making electrical connections to said thermopile.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.