Device and method for measuring heat flux and method for forming such a

Abstract

A device and method are disclosed for measuring heat flux, as is a method for forming a device for such use. Thermopile junctions are formed on a belt-like support so that the heat flux from an article, such as a pipe or process equipment, is sensed while the support is positioned against a surface of the article, and a voltage indicative of the sensed heat flux is generated and coupled to an outlet connector adapted for connection to a voltage readout device. The belt-like support is relatively narrow, flexible, and has one side of a polymer with high infrared emissivity and the other side of a metal foil with low infrared emissivity. The support has mounted thereon a pair of thermopile elements each of which includes a non-metallic core having a high electrical resistance wire wound thereon, with a like portion of each turn of wire wound on the core having a low electrical resistance metallic plating thereon whereby heat flux through each thermopile element causes a temperature differential at opposite sides of the core which generates a thermoelectric current to thus provide a DC voltage that is coupled on the wound wire to an output connector at one end of the belt-like support. A second connector at the other end of the belt-like support has a bridging connector connected thereto during use for connecting the wound wires of a pair of thermopile elements, and the effective length of the device can be increased by connecting together a plurality of supports having thermopile elements mounted thereon through the connectors.