CLAMP RADIANT HEAT

WHY:

In heat transfer, conduction, convention, and radiation are the mechanisms. In the modelling of sugar beet clamps, there is available data/ parameters for conduction and convection. For radiant heat, as far as I can see, there is nothing. It seems reasonable that radiant heat is not a major term in the models, but it also seems reasonable that it will non-zero. Even if November, December and January in Sweden are characterised by bugger all sun, those few precious hours will matter for the temperature of a clamp. We have seen some evidence of this in situations where we have temperature sensors in places that the sun reaches.

HOW:

A recent paper on measuring radiant heat through textile fabric presents a good template to go from, at least in designing the measurement system using an Arduino UNO based system that uses a heat lamp. And all for the grand cost of 200AUD (ca. 1500SEK). That said, more research is needed to understand which light source should be used – it seems heat lamps are no good imitators of the sun nor is it easy to find an alternative. It seems like using the sun itself may be the best option. As such, a pyranometer might be needed (hopefully we can just borrow one of these), or we can try using solar cells (it seems reliable enough).

I could also imagine that if an old fridge was also found, the system could be adapted to measure thermal conductivity through the few covering materials we don’t have data for.

With the measurement system built, each covering material would be tested at levels of radiant heat that represent the full spectrum of possible levels in Sweden. It would also be necessary to measure the materials at different angles to the heat source and at different levels of turgidity.

WHEN:

This is a great project for the off season.

COST STAB-IN-THE-DARK:

Materials for the measurement system: Heat lamp & Temperature sensors approach- 1500 SEK; Solar panels approach- 2500 SEK; pyranometer approach – 10 000SEK. Material for testing is lying around in good quantity (i.e 0 SEK). Plus project management labour.

WHY THIS MIGHT NOT HAPPEN:

Time. Approval. But probably will happen.

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