A Calorimeter-Free Approach: Experimental Validation Strategy for Thermal Experiments Requiring Heat Flux Measurement Based on the Calibration Integral Equation

Abstract Calorimeters play a vital role in thermal experiments by providing reference heat fluxes, especially for validations based on radiation heat sources, to determine the accuracy of an algorithm. However, the use of calorimeters imposes specific requirements on experimental conditions and increases the complexity of both experimental design and operations. In this article, we proposed a calibration scheme to reconstruct the incident heat flux from the heat source using readily available information. This method enables a calorimeter-free thermal experimental system, and was demonstrated and validated based on a laser heating platform. Furthermore, the uncertainties from measurement locations and system parameters can be mathematically eliminated using the calorimeter-free strategy, thereby improving the accuracy of the experimental results. The results from our laser experiments show that this strategy is practical and provides an operationally friendly and cost-efficient method for future experimental validations.