Heat Transfer: Thermal Conductivity of Solids

Vincent Nino Bayotlang, Louell Nikki Hipulan, Analiza Hipulan and Shashwa Usop
Department of Chemical Engineering and Technology, MSU-Iligan Institute of Technology, Iligan City, Philippines

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Introduction The   experiment   aims   to   calculate   the   thermal
conductivity of three different samples and compare the
Heat transfer is thermal energy in transient which occurs
experimental   conductivity   value   to   known   literature
whenever a temperature gradient exists in a medium or
value, to generate the plot of temperature versus time of
between  media.  Heat  flows  in three  different   modes  ­
each samples, to compare the thermal conductivity of the
conduction, convection and radiation.  Conduction refers
different types of samples and categorized each samples
to  the  transfer   of  energy  in  a   medium   from  the  more
as  to insulator  or  conductor,  and  to  calculate  the  heat
energetic   to   the   less   energetic   particles   due   to
transfer for every material.
interactions   between   the   particles,   and   the   physical
mechanism   is   one   of   random   atomic   or   molecular
activity.   It   is   governed   by   Fourier’s   law   which   is Materials and Methods
developed   from   the   observed   phenomena   rather   than The materials used in the experimentation are the 1000
being derived from first principles. [1] mL   beaker,   steel   block,   styrofoam   cube,   wood   block,
water, two thermometers, hotplate, insulator, heat flow
meter and timer. The Steel block was obtained from a
junk   shop   at   Brgy.   Tambo,   Iligan   city.   The   block   of
wood with a  dimension  of 4x4x1 which is an  Acacia
mangium  was   obtained   from   a   lumber   shop   at   Brgy.
qx|x qΔxx|xΔx Tambacan, Iligan city.
Δx
The water with a small amount of salt was heated to a
X XΔx constant   temperature   of   90o  using   a   hot   plate.   The
material   was   then   placed   on   the   constant   temperature
bath and the mid­point temperature of the material, the
Fig. 1. Differential Volume Element Used in Derivation of temperature  was   recorded   with  a   time   interval  of   five
Conduction Equation seconds until it reached the steady state bath temperature
For one­dimensional heat transfer: with no change of temperature occuring for atleast two
minutes. The temperature of the material was measured
dq dT using a thermometer.
=−k  
dA dx
(1) Same methodology was applied for the three trials and
with the rest of the materials. The thermal conductivity
Where q = heat flow rate, normal to surface of   the   wood   was   also   obtained   using   the   Heat   Flow
Meter.
A = surface area

T = Temperature Results and Discussion

x = distance, measured normal to surface The following graphs show the time versus temperature
relation   of   wood,   styrofoam,   and   steel.   Each   of   the
k = thermal conductivity
materials are performed with three replicates.

To use Fourier’s law, the thermal conductivity of the Wood Temperature vs Time Data for Three Trials

material   must   be   known.   Thermal   conductivity   is   an 100
intensive physical property of a material that provides an
80
Temperature, oC

indication of the rate at which energy is transferred by
60
the diffusion process. In short, it is basically a measure
of   the   material’s   ability   to   conduct   heat.   In   a   wide 40
variety of applications ranging from building insulation 20
to electronics, it is important to determine a material’s 0
thermal conductivity. [1] 0 100TRIAL
2001 300 400
TRIAL 2500 600TRIAL
7003 800 900

Time, seconds
Objectives
Fig. 2. Temperature vs. Time Plot of Wood for Three Trials
 The energy is coming only from water so the
heat   output   and   heat   generation   are   zero.   This
Styrofoam Temperature vs Time Data for Three Trials reduces equation (1) into
100
q ¿=qst
80
Temperature, oC

(2)
60
40 ∆T ∂T
           −kA = ρV C p
∆x ∂t
20
(3)
0 TRIAL 1 TRIAL 2 TRIAL 3
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350
By letting
Time, seconds
kA
k c=
ρV C p ∆ x
Fig. 3. Temperature vs. Time Plot of Styrofoam for
Three Trials
we arrive to

dT
   −k c ( T s −T ) =
dt
Metal Temperature vs Time Data for Three Trials
(4)
100
80 Integrating the equation
Temperature, oC

60 t T
dT
40 −k c ∫ dt=∫
0 To T s−T
20
(5)
0
0 20
TRIAL 1 40 60 2
TRIAL 80 100
TRIAL 3 120
−k c t=−[ln ( T s −T ) −ln ( T s−T o ) ]
Time, seconds
(6)

Which gives the expression
Fig. 4. Temperature vs. Time Plot of Metal for Three
Trials
T s−T o
ln ( T s−T )
=−k c t

The governing equations for the calculation of the (7)
thermal   conductivity,   Fourier   number,   and   heat Using equation (7) and linear regression, the
flow   rate   of   the   materials   are   derive   from   the data are plot to obtain the slope and intercept. The
relationship of time and temperature obtained in
slope   ( −k c ¿   is   equated   to   get   the   thermal
the experiment. 
conductivity of the material.
Starting   from   the   general   form   of   the
kA
conservation of energy: slope=−k c =
ρV C p ∆ x
q ¿ +q g−qout =q st
(1)
 −k c ρV C p ∆ x
k=
A Wood
(8) 4.15
4.1
After getting the value of k, it  can now be f(x) = - 0x + 4.11

ln(Ts-T)
4.05 R² = 1
used   to   compute   the   material’s   corresponding 4
Fourier’s number which has the formula: 3.95
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900
αt
F0 = 2 Time, s
Lc
where  α  is the thermal  diffusivity and Lc is the Fig. 5. Plot of Wood using Equation (7)
characteristic length of the material, in this case
Δx and Lc are of same value; and α is equal to: Styrofoam
k 4.1
α= 4 f(x) = - 0x + 4.09
ρC p R² = 1

ln(Ts-To)
3.9
(10) 3.8
3.7
kt
F0 = 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350
ρC p L2c
(11) time, s

Fig. 6. Plot of Styrofoam using Equation (7)

The Fourier’s law can be used  to solve for
the heat flow rate for each material

dq dT Metal Block
=−k
dA dx 5
(12) 4
Since   area   and   distance   from   the   bottom   to   the 3 f(x) = - 0.04x + 3.32
ln(Ts-T)

mid­point are constant, 2 R² = 0.91
1
q T
−kA 0
∫ dq= ∆x T
∫ dT 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
0 o

(13) time, s

−kA
q= (T −T o) Fig. 7. Plot of Metal using Equation (7)
∆x

The following graphs are plotted using eq (7) for The   experimental   thermal   conductivity,   k   of   the

each material. materials are calculated using equation (8) and its
properties listed below.
 Table 1. Properties of Materials Material Wood  Styrofoam Steel Block
(Acacia
Material Wood  Styrofoam Steel Block mangium)
(Acacia
mangium) Density,
slope ­0.038 ­0.0186 ­0.0409 ρ
Density   , 520 50 7.801 x 10 (kg/m3)
ρ  (kg/m3) Time, t (s)
Volume, 1.1 x 10­4 1.95 x 10­5 3.724 x 10 Fourier
V  (m3) number, Fo
Heat   Capacity, 1131 473
Final   Temp.,
Cp   (J/kg­
T (K)
K)
Distance, 0.04 0.026 0.014
Initial   Temp.,
∆ x  (m) To (K)
Heat   flow
Area,   A 2.75 x 10­3 7.5 x 10­4 2.66 x 10 rate, q (Watts)
(m2)
Experimental
k  
(W/m­K)

Conclusions
Table 2 shows the summarization of the thermal
conductivity of the materials and its corresponding Write proper conclusions to your data, rather than
error from the theoretical value.  writing   a   mere   summary   of   what   you   have
discussed in your Results and Discussion.
Table 2. Thermal Conducticity Summary of the
Materials
References
Materials k k % error
References   should   be   cited   in   the   text   by
(experiment (literature),
placing   sequential   numbers   in   brackets   (for
al), W/m­K W/m­K
example,   [1],   [2,   5,   7],   [8­10]).   They   should   be
numbered in the order in which they are cited. A
Wood   (Acacia 0.1414 0.18
complete   reference   should   provide   enough
mangium)
information to locate the article. 
Styrofoam 0.0344 0.03 14.67% References   must   follow   the   APA   Citation
Steel Block 43.0 Style.

Appendix
The   Fourier   number   and   heat   flow   rate   of   the
materials   are   calculated   using   equation   (11)   and
(14),   respectively.   The   calculated   values   are
shown in Table 3.

Table 3. Fourier Number and Heat Flow Rate Properties
 The mass of the material can be obtained. Kc was
obtained from the slope acquired from the plot.
Therefore Eq (8) is simpified to :

−( slope)(mC p ∆ x)
k=
A
With the properties of each corresponding
materials:

Material slope Mass, Cp , ∆x, A, K,

kg J/kg- m m2 W/m
k -k
Wooden -0.0001 0.057 1700 0.0 2.7 0.141
Block 2 4 5 x 4
10­
3

Styrofoa -0.0009 9.75x 1131 0.0 7.5 0.034

Figure 2. Preparation of hot bath m 10-4 26 x  4
10­
4

Steel -0.0409 0.029 473 0.0 2.6

Block 1 14 6 x
10­
4

Figure 3. The three materials: Steel, Styrofoam
and Wooden block

Calculations :

From Eq. (8) :

−k c ρV C p ∆ x
k=
A