To simplify the measurement of thermal systems, greenTEG developed a new type of heat flux sensor that enables the easy, fast and precise measurements of thermal fluxes through solids, liquids, gases, and radiation.

The gSKIN Heat Flux sensor has a higher sensitivity and a faster response time than any temperature sensor. Together with a common multi-meter it is possible to measure heat fluxes in the range of -10 to + 10 kW/m2 in the fraction of a second. This characteristic of the gSKIN sensor makes it especially valuable in applications where fast response time is decisive. The ability to measure different types of heat fluxes and the fast response time are the key differences between the gSKIN Heat Flux Sensor and common temperature sensors. While gSKIN measures the flow of heat, temperature sensors measure the status of temperature. In other words, gSKIN measures the dynamics and temperature sensors measure static conditions. One of the most advantageous properties of the gSKIN is this capability to understand the dynamics of the thermal system.

The gSKIN Heat Flux Sensor realized its high sensitivity and fast reaction time on an extremely thin and small module with a low and homogenous thermal resistance. This maintains the sensor's invasiveness low and enables precise and distortion-free measurements of heat fluxes without the time-consuming configuration of multiple sensors. Furthermore, the gSKIN can be customized (size, pro-tective coating, type and arrangement of contacts) for specific applications.

Multitude of possible applications
The high precision, the fast reaction time and the small dimensions of the gSKIN Heat Flux Sensor enable the application in various fields: as design-in component in end-products, in the research and development of processes and materials, and the control and measurement of industrial processes. In most applications, precise and fast thermal measurements have priority that remains challenging with standard temperature sensors. For example, in reactor control the gSKIN can quantify thermal changes in almost real-time. Thus, the gained data improves the understanding of the thermal dynamics of the reactor and the control system. Other fields of applications of the gSKIN sensor include:

• Quantification of heat fluxes in buildings (energy efficiency)
• Measurement of different types of radiation (sun, laser)
• Measurements in the development of functional wear and protective gear
• Optimization of engines
• Supervision of body functions in humans and animals
• Condition monitoring
Because of its minimal invasiveness and the easy handling, the gSKIN can also be used in more complex sensor systems for the measurement and control of non-thermal systems. One of such applications can be found in fluids detection by depending on their heat transfer characteristics or their flow rate measured with non-invasive measurement of their convection.