Heat Flow Transducer Responses to Hyperbaric Environments

Abstract

The responses of heat flow transducers, used in the evaluation of convective body heat losses, have been investigated at hyperbaric environments. Environmental temperatures, pressures, and gas composition were varied while transducer responses to constant heat fluxes were observed. Ambient temperatures were varied between 3° and 40° C. Ambient pressures were varied between simulated depths of 0 and 1000 feet of seawater (445 psi). Transducer responses to heat fluxes varying between 0 and 250 watts/m2 are reported in the above temperature and pressure ranges within atmospheres of helium, nitrogen, and air. Ambient pressure variations were found to have little effect on the response of the heat flow transudcers to a constant heat source once appropriate temperature corrections were made. However, transducer response variations of up to 14 percent were observed when environmental gas compositions were varied at hyperbaric conditions.