Non-invasive measurement of the temperature field of a phase change material (PCM) using thermal imaging

This study proposes a novel approach using an infrared camera to remotely measure the internal temperatures of a phase change material (PCM) in a quasi-2D cavity. The remote temperature measurements from the infrared camera were calibrated against a grid of thermocouples embedded in the PCM. The practical cases of experimental melting and freezing of a PCM in a thin circular cavity were used to develop and demonstrate the procedure. The results show good agreement between the infrared and thermocouple techniques in both space and time, confirming that the proposed technique could accurately estimate the PCM temperature remotely without the permanent installation of thermocouples. The method is then demonstrated on a separate experimental setup, using a rectangular geometry and a different PCM. The benefits and limitations of the proposed approach are also discussed.