Measurement of quantitative heat flux on translucent surfaces using infrared thermography

A general algorithm is presented for determining accurate surface temperatures and heat transfer measurements using infrared thermography on optically translucent materials. The algorithm is validated with experimental data collected on a additively manufactured hemisphere made of Formlabs Rigid 10K in the University of Arizona Mach 5 Ludwieg tube. The accuracy of the measurement was determined by comparing to independent heat transfer sensors within the model and theoretical heating models. The results show significantly improved accuracy when compared to measurements made with the opaque body assumption which substantially underestimates the surface temperature and heat flux.