Computerized data acquisition and analysis for measuring thermal diffusivityJPL has been leading a concentrated effort to develop improved thermoelectric materials for space applications. Thermoelectric generators are an attractive source of electrical energy for space power because of lack of moving parts and slow degradation of performance. Thermoelectric material is characterized by: Seebeck coefficient, electrical resistivity and thermal conductivity. To measure the high temperature thermal conductivity is experimentally very difficult. However, it can be calculated from the specific heat and thermal diffusivity which are easier to measure at high temperatures, especially using the flash method. Data acquisition and analysis for this experiment were automated at JPL using inexpensive microcomputer equipment. This approach is superior to tedious and less accurate manual analysis of data. It is also preferred to previously developed systems utilizing expensive minicomputers or mainframes.
Document ID
19860040172
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Chmielewski, A. (Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Wood, C. (Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Vandersande, J. (California Institute of Technology Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, United States)