Soil Heat Flux Plate

Soil heat flux plays an important role for the Earth. First, it has a significant impact on the Earth’s energy balance and climate change. Secondly, soil heat flux can also affect the distribution of soil moisture and evaporation process. When soil heat flux is high, soil temperature increases and the rate of water evaporation increases, which leads to a decrease in soil moisture content. Finally, soil heat flux can also affect soil biological activities and plant growth. Changes in soil heat flux can directly or indirectly affect the structure and function of soil ecosystems.

Most meteorological experiments show that the main source of energy during the day is downward solar radiation. The maximum power of the sun is about 1500 w/m2 Under clear sky conditions and at low latitudes, solar radiation is either reflected or absorbed by the soil. The absorbed heat is divided into evaporation of water, heating of ambient air and heating of soil. At night, the sun disappears and the net irradiance is upward. The soil then releases energy to the sky through far-infrared radiation. The maximum upward net irradiance is about 150 W/m2 under clear sky conditions. The heat flux in soil at a depth of 0.05 m typically ranges from -100 to +300 W/m2.

The soil heat flux plate is a traditional soil thermal property tester used to measure the energy balance of the soil and the thermal conductivity of the soil layer.

The soil heat flux sensor measure using a thermopile, which consists of two different metallic materials. The thermopile receives the thermal radiation and generates a temperature difference potential, which is then used to derive the heat flux value according to an algorithm.

Soil heat flux plates are widely used in meteorological monitoring, scientific research and geotechnical engineering.

Installation should ensure that the sensor is in good contact with the soil to avoid air gaps that can affect measurement accuracy. The sensor should be placed horizontally at the target depth and secured to prevent movement. At the same time, select representative soil sample points and environmental conditions to avoid human interference.

Our heat flux plates are calibrated at the factory and do not need to be calibrated twice. If calibration is required, please contact a technician for guidance.

Regular cleaning of the surface and regular calibration.

Our soil heat flux plates have a measurement accuracy of ±5% (@ ±200W/m2), which meets the measurement requirements of most locations.

Renke heat flux plates are made of black flame retardant epoxy resin material and are sealed to IP68 rating to work even in harsh environments.4o