Comparative calibration of heat flux sensors in two blackbody facilities

Abstract

This paper presents the results of heat flux sensor calibrations in two blackbody facilities: the 25 mm variable temperature blackbody (VTBB) primary facility and a recently developed 51 mm aperture spherical blackbody (SPBB) facility. Three Schmidt-Boelter gages and a Gardon gage were calibrated with reference to an electrical substitution radiometer in the VTBB. One of the Schmidt-Boelter gages thus calibrated was used as a reference standard to calibrate other gages in the SPBB. Comparison of the Schmidt-Boelter gages calibrations in the SPBB and the VTBB agreed within the measurement uncertainties. For the Gardon gage, the measured responsivity in the SPBB showed a gradual decrease with increasing distance from the aperture. When the gage was located close to the aperture, a distance less than the aperture radius, the responsivity in the SPBB agreed with VTBB measurements. At a distance of about three times the aperture radius, the responsivity showed a decrease of about 4%. This is probably due to higher convection loss from the Gardon gage surface compared to the Schmidt-Boelter sensor.