Transient infrared temperature measurements of liquid-fuel surfaces: results of studies of flames spread over liquids

An infrared thermograph technique with an 8-12-mum spectral range was used to measure transient two-dimensional profiles of liquid (1-propanol) surface temperatures. An IR camera was placed over the liquid, allowing us to observe the fuel surface through propanol vapor. To use this technique, one must know the emissivity of the liquid surface and the IR absorption of both the liquid propanol and the propanol vapor. The emissivity of the liquid propanol was determined with a fine thermocouple temperature measurement, IR absorption with the propanol vapor was calibrated with a blackbody source, and IR absorption with a liquid propanol was theoretically estimated. The accuracy of our infrared thermograph technique proved to be better than 97% in detecting the liquid-surface temperature with a temperature sensitivity of 0.1 degrees C and a time response of 30 ms.