The use of liquid crystals as surface temperature sensors in transient wall heating experiments, to measure steady-state convective heat transfer coefficients, is becoming increasingly popular. This paper describes a simple graphical method to assist in the design of these experiments. The analysis assumes that the test specimen, perspex in the given example, behaves as a semi-infinite solid.
Given an expected range of convective heat transfer coefficients, the experimenter can determine the optimum combination of liquid crystal colour change temperature, bounding wall thickness and experiment duration. It is also possible to determine the sensitivity of experimental uncertainty to the operating conditions and the physical properties of the bounding wall.
Emphasis is given to the use of liquid crystal thermography but the methodology could be applied when other temperature measurement devices are employed.
