A calorimeter-free approach: Experimental validation strategy for thermal experiments requiring heat flux measurement based on the calibration integral equation

Calorimeters play a vital role in thermal experiments by providing reference heat fluxes, especially for validations that use quartz lamps and lasers as heat sources, to determine the accuracy of an algorithm. However, the use of calorimeters imposes specific requirements on experimental conditions and increases the complexity of both experimental design and operations. In this paper, we proposed a calibration integral equation to reconstruct the shape of the surface heat flux from the heat source using readily available information. This method enables the experimental validation of calorimeter-free systems, as demonstrated on a laser platform. Furthermore, we discuss the experimental uncertainty and find that the uncertainty from measurement locations and system parameters can be mathematically eliminated using the calorimeter-free strategy, thereby improving the accuracy of the experimental results. The results from our laser experiments show that this strategy is practical and provides an operationally friendly and cost-efficient method for future experimental validations.