Calibration of thermopile heat flux gauges using a physically-based equation

A thermopile, in which a number of thermocouple junctions are arranged on either side thin layer insulation, is commonly used to determine the heat flux for steady-state measurements. Gauges using this method available commercially and new, generic calibration described here. For purpose, an equation based physical properties has been derived theoretical relationship between measured voltage output gauge through it. An experimental rig built calibrate gauges under conditions fluxes 0.5 8 kW/m 2 . The temperature was controlled 30 110 °C, voltage-flux correlation – determined maximum likelihood estimation (MLE). tests with constant temperature, there linear flux; owing dependency Seebeck constants thermoelectric materials, increased increasing temperature. In all cases, very good agreement correlated values, overall uncertainty estimated be less than 5% flux.