Report on the First-Generation NIST Convective Heat Flux Calibration Facility

Published

December 10, 1998

Author(s)

David G. Holmberg, C A. Womeldorf

Abstract

The National Institute of Standards and Technology has developed a convective heat flux calbration facility to allow evaluation of heat flux sensors. This facility is a small wind tunnel that produces a two-dimensionl laminar boundary layer across a heated iso-thermal copper plate. This facility has been developed to allow convection calibration of heat flux sensors to complement heat flux sensor calibrations presently conductd using standard radiation methods, recognizing that many sensors are used in mixed radiation and convection envionments. By extending calibration capabilities to include a primarily convective environment, direct comparisons of sensors in controlled convective and radiative environments are possible. This report describes the first-generation heated plate design, analysis and performance. The reference heat flux on the plate is found from the electrical power input to a guared egion of the plate to the side of the sensor in the spanwise uniform flow.

Citation

NIST Interagency/Internal Report (NISTIR) - 6197

Report Number

6197

NIST Pub Series

NIST Interagency/Internal Report (NISTIR)

Pub Type

NIST Pubs

Download Paper

https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.IR.6197

Citation

Holmberg, D. and Womeldorf, C. (1998), Report on the First-Generation NIST Convective Heat Flux Calibration Facility, NIST Interagency/Internal Report (NISTIR), National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, [online], https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.IR.6197 (Accessed October 22, 2025)