US 12,436,073 B2
Solar thermal testing of ablators and composites
Jeffrey Daniel Engerer, Cedar Crest, NM (US); Kimberly D. Wakefield, Edgewood, NM (US); Michael J K Abere, Albuquerque, NM (US); Charles Hanks, Albuquerque, NM (US); and Joshua Mark Christian, Albuquerque, NM (US)
Assigned to National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC, Albuquerque, NM (US)
Filed by National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC, Albuquerque, NM (US)
Filed on Apr. 27, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/139,998.
Prior Publication US 2024/0361220 A1, Oct. 31, 2024
Int. Cl. G01N 3/56 (2006.01); G01G 19/52 (2006.01); G01N 25/00 (2006.01); H01J 37/16 (2006.01); H05B 3/00 (2006.01)
CPC G01N 3/56 (2013.01) [G01G 19/52 (2013.01); G01N 2203/0057 (2013.01); G01N 2203/0226 (2013.01); G01N 2203/0234 (2013.01); G01N 2203/0676 (2013.01); H01J 37/16 (2013.01); H05B 3/00 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus for thermal ablation testing, the apparatus comprising:
a chamber;
an optically transparent window in the chamber;
a sample holder inside the chamber;
a test sample in the sample holder;
a number of bare-wire thermocouples connected to the test sample, wherein the thermocouples generate temperature data in the form of voltage;
a mass balance inside the chamber, wherein the mass balance is configured to hold the sample holder and dynamically detect changes in mass of the test sample;
an external radiant heat source configured to heat the test sample through the window; and
a pyrometer directed at the test sample.