STEADY COUNTERFLOW HE II HEAT TRANSFER THROUGH POROUS MEDIA

We present steady state counterflow measurements performed on porous samples saturated in He II. The experiment is composed of a vacuum insulated open channel whose top extremity is closed to a Minco® heater. The temperature and pressure differences across the plug are measured by two germanium TTR‐G Microsensors® thermometers and a Validyne DP10‐20 differential pressure sensor. Applied heat fluxes range up to 0.5 kW/m2 of sample cross section. Measurements were performed at temperatures ranging from 1.7 to 2.1 K on highly anisotropic samples provided by Composite Technology Development Inc.: circular pellets (3.08 mm thick and 28.58 mm in diameter) of 20 compressed layers of pre‐impregnated woven magnet insulation. In the laminar regime, the permeability is estimated from the pressure drop measurements for comparison with room temperature data. In the turbulent regime, the model based on tortuosity developed previously fails to describe the heat transfer behavior of He II in this type of porous medium.