Heat transfer measurements in fully turbulent flows: basic investigations with an advanced thin foil triple sensor

In a former article in this journal a double layer hot film with two 10 μm nickel foils, separated by a 25 μm polyimide foil was introduced as a multi-purpose sensor. Each foil can be operated as a (calibrated) temperature sensor in its passive mode by imposing an electric current small enough to avoid heating by dissipation of electrical energy. Alternatively, however, each foil can also serve as a heater in an active mode with electric currents high enough to cause Joule heating. This double foil sensor can be used as a conventional heat flux sensor in its passive mode when mounted on an externally heated surface. In fully turbulent flows it alternatively can be operated in an active mode on a cold, i.e. not externally heated surface. Then, by heating the upper foil, a local heat transfer is initiated from which the local heat transfer coefficient h can be determined, once the lower foil is heated to the same temperature as the upper one, thus acting as a counter-heater. For further investigations with respect to the underlying sensor concept a triple sensor has been built which consists of three double layer film sensors very close to each other. Various aspects of heat transfer measurements in active modes can be addressed by this sensor.