A thermographic technique is presented that allows visual determination of both qualitative and quantitative heat transfer and fluid flow information to be obtained on heated objects placed in forced convection environments. The technique employs cholesteric liquid crystals as the temperature sensing agent. The liquid crystals indicate temperature by exhibiting brilliant changes in color over discrete, reproducible temperature ranges. The technique has been used to quickly and easily obtain information on the variation of the Nusselt number on a right circular cylinder placed in a crossflow of air. In addition to yielding precise quantitative heat transfer information, the liquid crystal thermographic technique afforded the opportunity to visually observe the effects of flow separation, the separation bubble region, the turbulent boundary layer, and the turbulent wake on the surface temperature of the heated cylinder. The experimental results obtained using the liquid crystal thermographic technique are in close agreement with results obtained by other investigators who have used standard measuring techniques.
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Research Papers
Liquid Crystal Thermography and Its Application to the Study of Convective Heat Transfer
T. E. Cooper,
T. E. Cooper
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, Calif.
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R. J. Field,
R. J. Field
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, Calif.
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J. F. Meyer
J. F. Meyer
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, Calif.
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T. E. Cooper
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, Calif.
R. J. Field
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, Calif.
J. F. Meyer
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, Calif.
J. Heat Transfer. Aug 1975, 97(3): 442-450 (9 pages)
Published Online: August 1, 1975
Article history
Received:
June 4, 1975
Online:
August 11, 2010
Citation
Cooper, T. E., Field, R. J., and Meyer, J. F. (August 1, 1975). "Liquid Crystal Thermography and Its Application to the Study of Convective Heat Transfer." ASME. J. Heat Transfer. August 1975; 97(3): 442–450. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.3450396
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