Patent ID: 8147130
Filing Date: 2012-04-03
Classification: G01B,G01K,G01N

Abstract:
1. A heat flux measurement device for estimating a fouling thickness on a wall whose fouling thickness is of interest, comprising: a front portion having a front wall and a cavity, the front wall being positioned proximate a wall whose fouling thickness is of interest; a first thermocouple disposed within the front portion at a first distance from the front wall for measuring a first temperature of the front portion; a second thermocouple disposed within the front portion at a second distance from the front wall for measuring a second temperature of the front portion, wherein a temperature of the front wall is determined by linearly extrapolating the first and second temperatures using an algorithm residing on a central processing unit, and wherein a variation of heat flux is determined using the temperature of the front wall and the algorithm residing on the central processing unit, and wherein a fouling thickness on the wall whose fouling thickness is of interest is estimated by using the algorithm residing on the central processing unit that correlates the variation of heat flux as a function of fouling thickness.