Electromagnetic fields and biological tissues -day 3

This course provides comprehensive training in experimental heat transfer, focusing on advanced measurement techniques for thermal and fluid dynamics research. The programme integrates the theoretical foundations of uncertainty analysis with practical laboratory experience regarding sensors, solar radiation, and multi-phase flow diagnostics.

The curriculum begins with an introduction to the theory of uncertainty in measurements, illustrated through practical examples and data processing. A significant portion of the course is dedicated to the experimental measurement of primary physical quantities, including pressure, flow rate, and temperature using thermocouples, resistance temperature detectors (RTDs), and infrared thermography. Specialized modules explore the determination of heat transfer coefficients in two-phase flows—such as condensation and flow boiling inside channels—and the measurement of liquid film thickness using optical techniques like shadowgraphy, interferometry, and chromatic confocal imaging. The program also covers specific topics in solar energy research, including the measurement of solar radiation and concentrated solar flux. Practical laboratory activities are a core component of the course, where students perform the experimental calibration of thermocouples and conduct real-time measurements of temperature and mass flow rates during complex two-phase heat transfer phenomena.

Upon completion of the course, PhD students will be proficient in performing rigorous uncertainty analyses on experimental datasets. Participants will acquire the technical skills to construct and calibrate sensors, such as thermocouples, and master the fundamental operating principles of temperature, pressure, and flow rate measurement systems. Furthermore, students will gain expertise in implementing advanced thermal and optical diagnostic techniques specifically designed for two-phase heat transfer and solar radiation assessment.

• GUM: Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement. http://www.bipm.org/en/publications/guides/gum.html
• Termodinamica applicata, A. Cavallini, L. Mattarolo, CLEUP Editore, cap. XIII.
• V.J. Nicholas, D.R. White. 1994. Traceable Temperatures – An Introduction to Temperature Measurement and Calibration, John Wiley & Sons Ltd, West Sussex, England.
• Bortolin S., Tancon M., Del Col D., Heat transfer enhancement during dropwise condensation over wettability-controlled surfaces, in: M. Marengo and J. De Coninck (Eds.), The Surface Wettability Effect on Phase Change, Springer, Cham, 2022, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-82992-6_3
• Del Col D., Bortolin S., Azzolin M., Measuring Heat Transfer Coefficient During Condensation Inside Channels, in: J. Meyer and M. de Paepe (Eds.), The art of measuring in thermal sciences, CRC Press (Taylor and Francis Group), Boca Raton, 2021, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1201/9780429201622