ABSTRACT
Despite advances in electronics and microelectronics (and even nanotechnology), thermocouples are still widely used in industry and in scientific applications. The reason for this is the flexibility of this type of sensor. It can be in the form of wire or film of any thickness, resistant to high temperatures, acid, or alkaline media; it adapts to the shape of the measurement and can still be easily repaired. The inconvenient aspect is the low intensity signal, requiring high-quality measurement systems. The analysis of one-dimensional problems involving heat transfer needs two linearly independent boundary conditions. The heat flux boundary condition is present, but normally not used in experimental studies due to measurement difficulties. This chapter presents different types of heat fluxmeters, especially the ‘‘tangential gradient’’ type, and discusses methods of calibration and the error involved.
