A technique using a thermochromic liquid crystal coating to measure film cooling effectiveness (η) and heat transfer coefficient hf has been developed so that both of these important parameters can be obtained, as a function of time, from a single transient test. The technique combines a real-time, true color (24 bit) imaging system with the use of a wide-band liquid crystal coating and multiple event sampling for the simultaneous determination of η and hf from the single test. To illustrate and validate this technique, the flow from compound-angle square jets in a crossflow is examined. The tests, in which the jet air was suddenly heated to about 40°C, lasted 30 seconds. The measured η is compared with measurements made in the same flow under steady-state conditions in a totally different way, using a mass/heat analogy and a flame ionization detector. Good agreement is obtained. Three different blowing ratios M of 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 are investigated with a constant jet Reynolds number of about 5000. Detailed quantitative comparisons of the η measured in both ways are made for all blowing ratios, and plots of η and hf are presented. [S0889-504X(00)01403-3]
An electrically tunable imaging system with separable focus and zoom functions using composite liquid crystal lenses