INTRODUCTION

In engineering applications, one important consideration made by professionals are the

materials to be used. It is essential to understand the different properties of a material that will
determine how that specific material will react in a given environment and situation.
Thermophysical properties are of particular interest when it comes to choosing materials. It
defines characteristics of heat transport and heat storage in a material.This experiment focuses on
one thermophysical property, namely the thermal conductivity.
The thermal conductivity of a materal indicates the ability of the material to transport
heat energy (Tritt & Terry, 2004). Heat energy is transported through a material by different
means, including electrons, phonons, electromagnetic waves and many others (Tritt & Terry,
2004). Metals transport heat primarily through the motion of electrons. Thermal conductivity is
reported as a function of temperature for any particular metal. The material’s (metal)
composition determines the specific behavior of thermal conductivity versus temperature. The
ability to conduct heat is either aided or hindered by the type of structure, since the conduction of
heat in a nonmetal is a wave traveling through the lattice structure of atoms and molecules (Tritt
& Terry, 2004). Conduction of heat is aided by uniform, organized structures of atoms and
molecules therefore it is hindered by obstructions that disturbs the natural flow of heat.
Obstructions such as grain boundaries, dislocations, and various imperfections present in a
material will disrupt the transfer of heat therefore producing a low value of thermal conductivity.
In contrast materials with less obstructions, the easier it is for the material to conduct heat
creating a higher value of thermal conductivity. Measuring of the thermal conductivity can be
done with the use of a thermal conductivity apparatus.
A thermal conductivity apparatus is used to determine and demonstrate that heat flow is
directly proportional to temperature differences between specimen faces, to demonstrate that heat
flow is directly proportional to cross sectional area, to derive the thermal conductivity of materials
of high thermal conductance, and to determine the thermal conductivity of insulation materials.
The apparatus consists of a vertical stack of specimens clamped between an electrically
heated source at the top and a water cooled base, all contained within a Dewar vessel and furnished
with a radiation shield and anti-convection baffle. The specimens are fitted with very small
thermocouples at known distances apart and connected via a selector switch to a digital
temperature readout. The heating current is supplied from a variable voltage power pack and
displayed on a digital ammeter. The water cooled base is designed as a calorimeter to measure the
heat flow and fitted with very accurate thermometers in the water circuit. Cooling water is supplied
from the constant head water tank mounted above the Dewar vessel. (Indiamart, 2018).
 REFERENCES:

Whaley, Aaron Christopher, "Experimental Measurement of Thermal Conductivity of an

Unknown Material" Master's Thesis, University of Tennessee, 2008.
https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_gradthes/434

Indiamart. (2018). DIDAC Thermal Conductivity Apparatus, DIHT130. Retrieved October 29,
2018 from https://www.indiamart.com/proddetail/thermal-conductivity-apparatus-
19651093912.html
Tritt, Terry M. Thermal Conductivity: Theory, Properties, and Applications. Kluwer Academic/
Plenum Publishers. New York, 2004.

I. METHODS:

Dewar

Water Outlet Temperature

Water Inlet Temperature

Specimen Clamping Lever

Temperature
Power On/Off Switch
Current
Thermocouple Selection
Heater Control

Figure 1. Experimental Set-up

Materials and Apparatus:

Thermal Conductivity Apparatus Copper Sample Vernier Caliper
Stainless steel sample Aluminum Sample Ruler
100mL Graduated Cylinder
Procedure:
All materials needed were prepared and cleaned. The thermal conductivity apparatus was
made sure that it is working. The diameter and length of the metal samples were measured using
a Vernier caliper. The distances of the holes in the metals were also measured using a ruler. The
water pipes were checked if they are correctly connected. The water supply must be connected to
the header tank, the header tank connected to the inlet on the apparatus, the apparatus outlet
connected to the drain, and the header tank overflow to the drain. The water supply was turned on.
The flowrate of the water was measured by collecting water using a graduated cylinder and was
timed using a stopwatch. This was done three times. It was assumed that the inlet flow of water is
equal to the outlet flow of water. The ends of the metals were cleaned and made sure to be free
from dirt. Then, the clamping lever on the front of the apparatus was pulled down and for the first
trial the aluminum metal was placed on top of the stainless steel and was then placed between the
heater and the calorimeter block. The metals were clamped in position and the lever was released.
The thermocouples was inserted and wired in sequence to the support posts into the holes provided
in the metal samples. The potentiometer-measuring instrument was connected to the terminals
provided on the front of the panel. The dewar vessel was placed on position over the specimen.
The thermometers provided on top of the calorimeter base were checked. The clip was adjusted
in order to maintain temperature difference less than 10℃ between the two thermometers during
the experiment. The supply voltage was checked. The thermal conductivity apparatus was turned
on. The knob on the front panel under the ammeter was turned fully clockwise until 200℃ was
reached. The system was stabilized by maintaining the temperature of the three other
thermocouples constant. The water inlet temperature (W1), water outlet temperature (W2),
thermocouple temperature (T1-4) were recorded every 2 minutes for 10 minutes. The mass of water
collected in kg (M), and time to collect M kg water in seconds (t) were recorded. For the second
trial, copper was placed on top of the stainless steel and was then placed between the heater and
the calorimeter block. The same procedure was done and the same parameters were recorded for
the 2nd trial. After the experiment, the apparatus and water supply were switch off. The thermal
conductivity apparatus was unplugged. Lastly, the workplace was cleaned.