In designing the heat flux test apparatus, there are several
criteria that the design must meet. The design must allow for
multiple configurations of up to four quartz lamps to include
rectangular, staggered, and parallel configurations to name a few.
The apparatus must have the capability to model heat flux in 3-D.
The heat flux gage(s) will be mounted to a moving tray which must
withstand the extreme temperatures emitted from the quartz lamps
without buckling. The quartz lamps, the heat flux gage, or both
will have the capability of moving in three dimensions in order to
model the heat flux in 3-dimensions. The movement must be slow and
continuous for steady accumulation of data in all 3 dimensions
beneath the quartz lamps.
To accumulate the data, a data acquisition system will be
required to monitor and record multiple inputs. The system will
include data management and interface software (LabVIEW) as well as
a Data Acquisition unit (DAQ) to interpret and filter the input from
the sensors and pass it to the software. There are several required
inputs that the data acquisition system will monitor and record. As
a minimum, the required inputs are the heat fluxes from the heat
flux gage(s), the exact coordinates of the sensors with respect to
the quartz lamps, and the power input to the quartz lamps. In
addition, we will be installing 4 K-type thermocouples to monitor
the conditions in and around the test chamber for safety and
overheat monitoring.
