Plated thermocouples for boiling heat transfer studies

Abstract

Plated thermocouples are developed for the measurement of the temperatures of the inner and outer surfaces of the tube wall during the boiling heat transfer processes. A thin layer of a suitable metal is electroplated on the surface of the tube wall. The entire contacting surface between the plated layer and the base metal serves as the joint of the thermocouple. A wire of the same material as the tube is securely attached to the tube wall by embedding under an electrodeposited layer of the same metal. Another wire of the same material as the plated layer is securely attached to the plated layer by the same technique. There wires serve as the leads of the thermocouple represents the average temperature of the plated portion of the tube surface fairly accurately. The linearity and reproducibility of the temperature-emf relationship are also very good.