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Apparatus Measures Thermal Conductance Through a Thin Sample from Cryogenic to Room Temperature
- Source :
- NASA Tech Briefs, November 2009.
- Publication Year :
- 2009
- Publisher :
- United States: NASA Center for Aerospace Information (CASI), 2009.
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Abstract
- An apparatus allows the measurement of the thermal conductance across a thin sample clamped between metal plates, including thermal boundary resistances. It allows in-situ variation of the clamping force from zero to 30 lb (133.4 N), and variation of the sample temperature between 40 and 300 K. It has a special design feature that minimizes the effect of thermal radiation on this measurement. The apparatus includes a heater plate sandwiched between two identical thin samples. On the side of each sample opposite the heater plate is a cold plate. In order to take data, the heater plate is controlled at a slightly higher temperature than the two cold plates, which are controlled at a single lower temperature. The steady-state controlling power supplied to the hot plate, the area and thickness of samples, and the temperature drop across the samples are then used in a simple calculation of the thermal conductance. The conductance measurements can be taken at arbitrary temperatures down to about 40 K, as the entire setup is cooled by a mechanical cryocooler. The specific geometry combined with the pneumatic clamping force control system and the steady-state temperature control approach make this a unique apparatus.
- Subjects :
- Technology Utilization And Surface Transportation
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- Database :
- NASA Technical Reports
- Journal :
- NASA Tech Briefs, November 2009
- Publication Type :
- Report
- Accession number :
- edsnas.20090040049
- Document Type :
- Report