The use of interferometry for heat transfer studies enables a complete field of view to be quantitatively examined at one time without disturbing the temperature distribution being measured. The Mach-Zehnder interferometer described has an elliptical field, with a 15cm minor axis and is capable of accommodating test chambers 102cm in length using the full field of view. The sensitivity of the instrument for various air pressures and temperature distributions within the test cell has been evaluated.
The use of the instrument for identifying isotherms in the neighbourhood of a heated slab supported on skid bars is described. A Moiré technique which eliminates the effects of imperfections in the interferometer plates has also been used.
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