Abstract: A method of measuring spectral emissivity of materials is provided. The method comprises placing material in a controlled chamber and exposing the material to an energy source to heat the material. At least one multi-wavelength pyrometer measures emitted thermal radiation from the material produced by heating by the energy source.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device useful for the measurement of the temperature of a radiating body. More particularly, the present invention relates to a radiation pyrometer that detects and compensates for emissivity that changes with wavelength, as in metals. Additionally the present invention relates to a device that enhances the resolution and repeatability of the measured temperature of the radiating body. Additionally, the present invention relates to the technique utilized to enhance the resolution and repeatability of the measured temperature.

Abstract: A compact endothermic reaction apparatus employing metallic reaction tubes in a close-pack arrangement using offset nozzle tubes and an air distribution plate for introducing fuel and air into a combustion chamber to produce long and thin flames thereby to avoid excessive localized heating of the reaction tubes and provide high reaction tube life expectancy. Also, excessive localized heating of the reaction tubes at the inlet ends of exhaust tubes is eliminated and provision is made for preventing buckling of individual reaction tubes that may be subjected to higher than average reaction tube temperatures.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a totally novel device and process useful for the measurement of the temperature of a radiating body. More particularly, the present invention relates to a device that enhances the resolution and repeatability of the measured temperature of the radiating body by fitting a mathematical correlation to the emitted radiation spectra, generating calculated radiation intensities at specified wavelengths using the mathematical correlation, and then generating a suite of individual two-wavelength temperature values, which can be statistically evaluated and averaged for a final, measured temperature.

Abstract: A compact endothermic reaction apparatus employing metallic reaction tubes in a close-pack arrangement using offset nozzle tubes and an air distribution plate for introducing fuel and air into a combustion chamber to produce long and thin flames thereby to avoid excessive localized heating of the reaction tubes and provide high reaction tube life expectancy. Also, excessive localized heating of the reaction tubes at the inlet ends of exhaust tubes is eliminated and provision is made for preventing buckling of individual reaction tubes that may be subjected to higher than average reaction tube temperatures.

Abstract: An apparatus for determining the water stress condition of an agricultural crop growing in a field includes sensors for sensing environmental and crop conditions, such as air temperature, crop canopy temperature and relative humidity, and for generating signals indicative of the sensed conditions, a microprocessor for receiving the generated signals and for calculating a crop water stress index from the signals and a visual display for displaying, in the field, the calculated index. In one embodiment, the sensors are mounted in a pistollike, hand held housing and the microprocessor, display and a keyboard control are carried by a second housing. The microprocessor compares one or more of the sensed conditions to reasonable value limits and rejects a set of measurements containing values beyond the limits. Crop-specific data needed to calculate water stress indices for a particular crop are stored in a programmable, read only memory.