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INDEX:

SR.
CONTENT PAGE NO.
NO.
1. DIAGRAM 2
2. INTRODUCTION 2–3
3. APPARATUS DESCRIPTION 4–5
4. EXPERIMENTAL MANUAL 6–9
5. SAMPLE CALCULATIONS 10 – 12
6. WIRING DIAGRAM 13

APPARATUS FOR MEASUREMENT OF THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY OF GOOD AND BAD

CONDUCTORS EXPERIMENTAL MANUAL
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300 mm Ø

T8

WOODEN PLATE T6 10 mm

ASBESTOS 15 mm

MILD STEEL 20 mm
T2
HEATER

MILD STEEL T1

ASBESTOS T3

WOODEN PLATE T5

T7

INTRODUCTION:
A sketch of the apparatus is shown in Figure. The essential parts are Heater

plate, Composite Wall made of Mild Steel, Asbestos & Wood and

thermocouples in position as shown in the same figure.

For the measurement of the thermal conductivity K what is required is to have

one dimensional heat flow through the flat specimen, an arrangement for

maintaining its faces at the constant temperature and metering method to

measure the heat flow through a known area.

APPARATUS FOR MEASUREMENT OF THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY OF GOOD AND BAD

CONDUCTORS EXPERIMENTAL MANUAL
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Knowing the heat input to the central plate heater, the temperature difference

across each specimen, its thickness and the area, one can calculate the K by

the following formula.

K = q * L / [2 * A * ( Th - Tc ) ]
Where,
K Thermal Conductivity of the sample, W / m C

q Heat flow rate in the specimen, W

A Area of the specimen, m2

Th Hot side average temperature, C

Tc Cold side average temperature, C

L Thickness of the specimen, m

APPARATUS FOR MEASUREMENT OF THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY OF GOOD AND BAD

CONDUCTORS EXPERIMENTAL MANUAL
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THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY OF COMPOSITE

WALL EXPERIMENTAL MANUAL
Apparatus Description:
Two sections of Composite Walls are positioned on either side of the plate

heater (Ni-Cr wire packed in upper and lower mica sheets, 1500 W).

Two thermocouples (1 & 2) are used to measure the hot face temperature at

the upper and lower heater plate, 3 & 4 are used to measure the temperature

at the other end of Mild Steel Plate (20 mm), 5 & 6 to measure temperature at

far end of Asbestos sheet (15 mm) and 7 & 8 for far end of the wooden plate

(10 mm). (See Figure). Diameter of the plates is 300 mm.

Specimens are held in position by the help of C clamps. The whole assembly

is enclosed in wooden box with one side transparent for visualization.

Voltmeter and Ammeter are used to measure the energy input to the heater.

This energy input to the heater can be varied using Dimmerstat. Digital

Temperature indicator with selector switch on the control panel indicates the

temperature at different positions in the composite wall. Indicator Lamp

indicates ON/ OFF position of the heater. MCB has been provided to switch

ON/ OFF the power to the equipment.

APPARATUS FOR MEASUREMENT OF THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY OF GOOD AND BAD

CONDUCTORS EXPERIMENTAL MANUAL
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Heater Assembly:
Capacity : 1000 Watt

Type : Round Coil, sandwiched

Diameter : 300 mm

Test Specimen:

Diameter : 300 mm

Mild Steel : 20 mm on both sides of the heater assembly,

Asbestos : 15 mm on both sides of the heater assembly,

Wooden Slab : 10 mm on both sides of the heater assembly,

Four Nos. of ‘C’ clamps to compress the assembly to remove air gaps.

The whole assembly is covered with Wooden Chamber with Perspex Cover on

one side and Formica on all the other sides. The total set up is mounted on

base plate with powder-coated panel and a good quality painted stand

APPARATUS FOR MEASUREMENT OF THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY OF GOOD AND BAD

CONDUCTORS EXPERIMENTAL MANUAL
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EXPERIMENTAL MANUAL

Aim:
To Find Thermal Conductivity of Different Materials.
Procedure:
 Insert male socket of control panel and test set-up in proper position.

 Start the main switch of control panel.

 Increase slowly the input to heater by the dimmerstat starting from 0

volts position.

 Adjust input equal to 150 watts maximum by voltmeter and ammeter.

 See that this input remains constant throughout the experiment.

 Wait till a satisfactory steady state condition is reached. This can be

checked by reading temperatures of thermocouples 1 to 2, 3 to 4, 5 to 6

and 7 to 8.

 Note down the readings in the observation table with time as given

below.

Precautions:

 Keep the Dimerstat to 0 voltage position before switching on the main

switch of the set up.

 Increase the heater voltage gradually during initial set-up experimentation.

 Never use the heater at full capacity for longer period of time.

APPARATUS FOR MEASUREMENT OF THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY OF GOOD AND BAD

CONDUCTORS EXPERIMENTAL MANUAL
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OBSERVATION TABLE:
Sr. No. (1) (2) (3)
Time
Voltage (V) V
Current (Amp) I
Heat Input (W) Q=V*I
Thermocouple Position Temperature (oC)

Heater T1
Plate T2
MS T3
Plate T4
Asbestos T5
Plate T6
T7

Wooden
Plate T8

Mean Heater
T12 =
Temperature
(T1 + T2) / 2
(oC)
Mean MS Plate
T34 =
Temperature
(T3 + T4) / 2
(oC)
Mean Asbestos
T56 =
Plate
(T5 + T6) / 2
Temperature (oC)
Mean Wooden
T78 =
Plate
(T7 + T8) / 2
Temperature (oC)

CALCULATIONS:
APPARATUS FOR MEASUREMENT OF THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY OF GOOD AND BAD
CONDUCTORS EXPERIMENTAL MANUAL
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Heat Transfer Area Perpendicular to Heat Flow,

A = ( / 4) * D2
=
= __________ m2
Heat Input by Heater
Q =V*I
=
= ________ W
Thermal Conductivity for individual specimen,
Ki = (Q * Li) / [2 * A * (Th i, av - Tc i, av)]
i = 1, 2 and 3 for MS, asbestos and Wooden Plate respectively.

Thermal Conductivity for MS Plate,

K1 = (Q * L1) / [2 * A* (T12 – T34)]
=
= _______ W/m 0c
Where, L1 = Thickness of MS Plate = ____ mm

Thermal Conductivity for Asbestos Plate,

K2 = (Q * L2) / [2 * A * (T34 – T56)]
=
= ________ W/m 0c
Where, L2 = Thickness of Asbestos Plate = ____ mm

Thermal Conductivity for Wooden Plate,

K3 = (Q * L3) / [2 * A * (T56 – T78)]
=
= _______ W/m 0c
Where, L3 = Thickness of Wooden Plate = ____ mm
Overall Thermal Conductivity,

APPARATUS FOR MEASUREMENT OF THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY OF GOOD AND BAD

CONDUCTORS EXPERIMENTAL MANUAL
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Koverall = (Q * L) / [2 * A * {((T1 + T2) / 2) – ((T8 + T7) / 2)}]

=
= _______ W/ m C

RESULT:

Thermal Conductivity of MS Plate

K1
(w/m C)

Thermal Conductivity of Asbestos Plate

K2
(w/m C)

Thermal Conductivity of Wooden Plate

K3
(w/m C)

Overall Thermal Conductivity

Ko
(w/m C)

APPARATUS FOR MEASUREMENT OF THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY OF GOOD AND BAD

CONDUCTORS EXPERIMENTAL MANUAL
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SAMPLE CALCULATIONS
OBSERVATION TABLE:
Sr. No. (1) (2) (3)
Time
Voltage (V) V 72.85
Current (Amp) I 1.328
Heat Input (W) Q=V*I 96.74
Thermocouple Position Temperature (oC)

Heater T1 88
Plate T2 91
MS T3 85
Plate T4 89
Asbestos T5 88
Plate T6 85
T7 65

Wooden
Plate T8 57

Mean Heater
T12 =
Temperature 89.5
(T1 + T2) / 2
(oC)
Mean MS Plate
T34 =
Temperature 87
(T3 + T4) / 2
(oC)
Mean Asbestos
T56 =
Plate 86.5
(T5 + T6) / 2
Temperature (oC)
Mean Wooden
T78 =
Plate 61
(T7 + T8) / 2
Temperature (oC)

Heat Transfer Area Perpendicular to Heat Flow,

APPARATUS FOR MEASUREMENT OF THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY OF GOOD AND BAD
CONDUCTORS EXPERIMENTAL MANUAL
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A = ( / 4) * D2

= (3.14/4) * (0.3)2

= 0.07065 m2

Heat Input by Heater

Q =V*I

= 72.85 * 1.328

= 96.74 W

Thermal Conductivity for individual specimen,

Ki = (Q * Li) / [2 * A * (Th i, av - Tc i, av)]

i = 1, 2 and 3 for MS, asbestos and Wooden Plate respectively.

Thermal Conductivity for MS Plate,

K1 = (Q * L1) / [2 * A* (T12 – T34)]

= (96.74 * 0.020) / [2 * 0.071 * (89.5-87)]

= 5.4501 W/m 0c

Where, L1 = Thickness of MS Plate = 20 mm

Thermal Conductivity for Asbestos Plate,

K2 = (Q * L2) / [2 * A * (T34 – T56)]

= (96.74 * 0.015) / [2 * 0.071 *(87-86.5)]

= 20.4380 W/m 0c

Where, L2 = Thickness of Asbestos Plate = 15 mm

Thermal Conductivity for Wooden Plate,

APPARATUS FOR MEASUREMENT OF THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY OF GOOD AND BAD

CONDUCTORS EXPERIMENTAL MANUAL
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K3 = (Q * L3) / [2 * A * (T56 – T78)]

= (96.74 * 0.010) / [2 * 0.071 * (86.5-61)]

= 0.2671 W/m oC

Where, L3 = Thickness of Wooden Plate = 10 mm

Overall Thermal Conductivity,

K overall = (Q * L) / [2 * A * {((T1 + T2) / 2) – ((T8 + T7) / 2)}]

= (96.74*0.045) / [2*0.071*(88+91/2) - (65+57/2)]

= 1.0756 W/m C

Result:

Thermal Conductivity of MS Plate

K1 5.4501
(w/m C)

Thermal Conductivity of Asbestos Plate

K2 20.4380
(w/m C)

Thermal Conductivity of Wooden Plate

K3 0.2671
(w/m C)

Overall Thermal Conductivity

Ko 1.0756
(w/m C)

APPARATUS FOR MEASUREMENT OF THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY OF GOOD AND BAD

CONDUCTORS EXPERIMENTAL MANUAL
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APPARATUS FOR MEASUREMENT OF THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY OF GOOD AND BAD

CONDUCTORS EXPERIMENTAL MANUAL