title: Errors in heat flux measurements due to the thermal resistance of heat flux disks.
abstract: Questions have been raised regarding the effect of the thermal resistance of heat flux transducers (HFTs) on the thermal flux from the skin. A model capable of simulating a large range of "tissue" insulation (variable-R model) was used to study the effect of the underlying tissue insulation on the relative error in heat flux due to the thermal resistance of the HFTs. The data show that the deviation from the true value of heat flux increases as the insulation of the underlying tissue decreases (r = 0.99, P less than 0.001). The underestimation of the heat flux through the skin measured by an HFT is minimal when the device is used on vasoconstricted skin in cool subjects (3-13% error) but becomes important when used during vasodilation in warm subjects (29-35% error) and even more important on metallic-skin mannequins (greater than 60% error).
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Ducharme
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Frim
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tikuisis
mesh_terms: D001833:Body Temperature Regulation / Q000502:physiology*; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D012881:Skin Temperature / Q000502:physiology; D013814:Thermal Conductivity; D013821:Thermometers / Q000592:standards; D014159:Transducers