Patent ID: 8517600

Claim:
A system for measuring deposition rate comprising a probe having: i) a heat transfer surface defining a first portion and a second portion; ii) a heat flux sensor covering said second portion of the heat transfer surface; iii) a thin metal layer covering said heat flux sensor and said first portion of said heat transfer surface; iv) a heat source operatively associated with said probe and adapted to supply heat to said heat transfer surface; v) a water source operatively associated with said probe and adapted to provide a flow of water along said heat transfer surface, wherein water flows from a small cross-sectional area contacting the first portion of the heat transfer surface to a larger cross sectional area contacting the second portion of the heat transfer surface, said probe being configured to measure the temperature of the heat source (Th), the temperature of the water source (Tw), and the heat flux at the larger cross sectional area (F2) and calculating the deposition rate as the rate of change of heat transfer resistance expressed according to the formula (Th)−(Tw)/(F2).