Shadowgraphic Imaging of Fibre-Delivered Pulsed IR Laser-Induced Heat Transfer across Thin Aluminized Polymer Film

Shadowgraphic imaging was employed to investigate the mid-IR laser induced heat transfer through a double layer thin film. The effect of thin metal coat on the polymer film enhanced the transfer of heat and shock waves due to rapid thermal expansion and the explosive evaporation of the thin fluid layer. Sixty two percent of deposited heat expended for water enthalpy and 38% for other factors. A power of 8.8 kW was launched at the surface of aluminium. The thermal coupling of 45% further reduced the input energy to the film and the non-adiabatic heat diffusion (i.e., ) was transmitted instantaneously within the metal with very small loss. The temperature at the surface of the film was determined ≈301 K, well below the aluminium melting point. The Biot number showed that the metal as single layer and the whole film as double layer satisfies the thermally thin film (i.e., ). Considering the Newtons’s law of cooling, the overall film heat transfer coefficient was found 3 k W·m-2·K-1 equivalent of 3.3 × 10-3 W·m2·K-1 thermal resistance. The analysis of images indicated a reducing percentage of heat transfer as a function of delay time based on the comparison of volume ratios. A calculated power of ≈3 kW was transmitted from the rear side of the film sufficient to thermalize the surrounding water layer and form vapor bubble.