FLUORESCENCE EMISSION RATIO IMAGING THERMOGRAPHY FOR USE IN HEAT TRANSFER ANALYSIS

摘要

The present invention provides a fluorescent imaging thermographic method and system for use in surface temperature measurements, which are reproducible over time. The invention provides a temperature-sensitive fluorescent probe (23) comprising a rare earth compound in an ultraviolet and fluorescence transparent medium (25) in order for the intensity of the fluorescence to vary as the temperature varies. The probe comprises Eu (1,1,1,5,5,5-hexafluoroacetylacetone)3 for measuring temperatures greater than 24 °C, and Tb (1,1,1,5,5,5-hexafluoroacetylacetone)3 for measuring temperatures less than 24 °C. The probe is applied as a layer to a surface (22) and exposed to fluorescence-inducing energy (10), then the emitted fluorescence is measured (12) and a ratio-imaging algorithm determines the temperature at each location on the surface.