Integration of a Liquid Crystal Thermography System into Undergraduate Heat Transfer Instruction

这项提案寻求资金用于购买液晶热像系统，该系统包括(1)液晶图像处理系统(个人计算机、图像处理板、CCD相机、照明系统和基于Windows的软件)，用于记录、处理和存储热像并执行定量温度测量；(2)液晶制备套件，用于处理热致变色液晶并将其应用于热传递表面；以及(3)液晶校准单元，用于校准液晶。PI建议将LC热成像系统整合到联合学院从一年级到四年级的机械工程课程中，作为教授传热学基础知识和激发人们对传热学应用的好奇心的工具。学生们将学习如何使用高科技设备来可视化传热过程，机械工程系将取代演示型、烹饪本实验室练习，学习传热方面的知识。具体地说，LC热成像系统将允许使用电子记录和存储热图像的方法进行全场、准确、定量的温度测量。这些能力将提高学生进行传热学设计的能力，培养学生对边界条件对温度分布的影响的直觉，并将激发学生对传热学的兴趣。所有设备将用于本科生工程实验室，并用于促进本科生研究。该项目令人兴奋，超越了联合学院，因为它提供了一个将LC热像仪系统的使用整合到四年制本科课程中的模式。

This proposal seeks funds to purchase a Liquid Crystal (LC) Thermography system consisting of (1) a liquid crystal image processing system (personal computer, image processing board, CCD camera, lighting system and Windows based software) to record, process and store thermal images and perform quantitative temperature measurement; (2) a liquid crystal preparation kit to process thermochromic liquid crystals and apply them to heat transfer surfaces; and (3) a liquid crystal calibration unit to calibrate liquid crystals. The PI proposes to integrate the LC Thermography system into the mechanical engineering curriculum at Union College from freshman year to senior year as a tool for teaching heat transfer fundamentals and for stimulating curiosity about heat transfer applications. Students will learn how to use hi-tech equipment to visualize heat transfer processes and the mechanical engineering department will replace demonstration type, cook-book lab exercises with hands on learning about heat transfer. Specifically, the LC Thermography system will permit full-field, accurate, quantitative temperature measurement with a method for electronically recording and storing thermal images. These capabilities will improve students ability to perform heat transfer design, develop students intuition about the effects of boundary conditions on temperature distribution and it will excite students about heat transfer. All equipment will be used in undergraduate engineering labs and to promote undergraduate research. The project is exciting beyond Union College because it presents a model for integrating the use of a LC Thermography system into a four year undergraduate curriculum.