Temperature Predictions Using Hybrid Heat Flux Gage Measurements

The hybrid heat flux gage is a high temperature device that does not require water cooling and can be placed directly onto a surface to quantify the heat exposure boundary conditions. In this research, the hybrid gage was mounted onto three different samples and used to determine exposure conditions for predicting the transient temperature rise of the samples. Tests were performed in an ASTM E1354 cone calorimeter at cold surface heat flux levels of 10 kW/m(2), 20 kW/m(2) and 35 kW/m(2). Boundary condition details such as the radiant heat flux and the convective heat transfer coefficient were determined with the hybrid gage. The measured boundary conditions were input into the finite element package Abaqus to predict the transient through thickness temperature rise of aluminum alloy 5083, Marinite P, and UNIFRAX Duraboard LD ceramic board. Transient temperature predictions were generally within 6% of the experimental data, demonstrating the use of the hybrid gage to determine the mixed mode boundary condition details for fire applications.