Patent Granted for Improved Infrared Thermography Techniques Published Dec. 5, 2006 By Propulsion Directorate AFRL/PR WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio -- Drs. Shichuan Ou and Richard B. Rivir, of AFRL's Propulsion Directorate, and Dr. Srinath V. Ekkad, of Louisiana State University, were granted a patent titled "Method of Infrared Thermography." The patent describes an invention that uses a high-resolution infrared thermography system to determine heat transfer coefficients and film effectiveness values from a single transient test. Film cooling is the process of injecting coolant fluid at one or more discrete locations along a surface exposed to a harsh, high-temperature environment. Turbine engine designers routinely use film cooling to cool engine components in the hot-gas flowpath. The new method described in this patent quickly and accurately provides film-cooled heat transfer coefficients and film effectiveness values from a single test. This method also avoids the use of expensive thermographic liquid crystals to provide temperature values. Furthermore, enabling designers to determine film-cooled heat transfer coefficients and film effectiveness values from a single test reduces the inaccuracies and uncertainties that arise from running two different tests at two different times.