Measurement and simulation of a temperature field

TL;DR

This paper combines experimental temperature measurements using low-cost and professional infrared cameras with simple theoretical models to analyze heat transfer in an inhomogeneously heated metallic tube.

Contribution

It introduces a methodology for measuring and simulating temperature fields using accessible infrared technology and simple models for thermal property estimation.

Findings

Low-cost infrared camera provides comparable results to professional equipment.

Theoretical models effectively estimate thermal conductivity and heat transfer coefficient.

Measurements validate the models for inhomogeneous heating scenarios.

Abstract

Measurements of surface temperature fields are used to determine the heat transfer by conduction and convection from an inhomogeneously heated metallic tube into environment. For most of the here reported measurements we use a low-cost infra-red camera Seek Thermal, but the results are also compared to measurements done with a professional Fluke Ti20 Thermal imager. The results are interpreted using two simple theoretical models which give estimates of the thermal conductivity of the tube and the heat transfer coefficient between the tube and the environment.