Sustainable Renewable Energy Engineering

Fall 2021-2022
Heat Transfer Lab
EXPERIMENT #2:
Thermal Conductivity of Gases
Objective: To determine the thermal conductivity for air.
THEORY:
Heat Transfer by Conduction, Radiation and Convection
Heat or internal energy is the kinetic energy of the molecules
in a substance (solid, liquid or gas) as they vibrate or move
around. Kinetic activity increases with temperature (the
molecules move faster). When a hot substance touches a
colder substance, the kinetic activity passes on through the
contact point. The molecules in the hotter substance pass
their energy to the molecules in the colder substance. The
hotter substance cools and the colder substance warms up.
Heat transfers from the hotter substance (the heat source) to
a colder substance (the heat sink), until the two materials
reach equilibrium.

Figure 1: Heat Energy Transfer Between Hot and Cold Substances

Note: When you try to find the heat conduction properties of a material, you must always try to
minimize the energy lost from the material by radiation and convection, as your results will be wrong.
Insulation helps to stop these losses. The same experiment can also be used to find the thermal
conductivity of liquids.
Figure 2: Heat Transfer by
Conduction: Three Methods
Conduction is the transfer of heat from one part of a substance to another
part of the same substance or from one substance to another in physical
contact with it, without appreciable displacement of molecules forming
the substance. For example the heats transfer in metal bar.
Thermal Conductivity (k) :
“The measure of how quickly heat energy travels along a unit length of
material of a unit cross-sectional area is called it’s the thermal
conductivity.”
Figure 3: How the Conductivity of Liquids and Gasses
Some materials are better heat conductors than others; their material has
Experiment Works
effect on the rate of heat transfer. This effect is its thermal conductivity
(k).
Thermal Conductivity of Liquids and Gases:
The Conductivity of Liquids and Gasses experiment passes heat through the
wall of a cylinder of the test liquid or gas. As the wall is nominally the same
thickness all around the cylinder, the equipment assumes that the heat
energy passes through it uniformly and the temperature change is uniform
all round.
Thermal conductivity (k) can be find out by using this formula; Figure 4:The Cylinder of Test Fluid
 K=(W∆r)/(As∆T) __________ (1)
Power Loss

Temperature Difference

Where;
W= Heat transfer rate
∆r=Radial gap between the inner and
outer radii of cylinder
As = Surface area
∆T=T1-T2= Difference in temperatures. Figure 5: The Base Unit(Left) & The Main Unit (Right)
APPARATUS:
The base unit (TD1002), Conductivity of liquids and gases unit (TD1002D), Thermometer.
Suitable test fluids include:
• Normal dry air, Carbon Dioxide and Castor Oil

Calibration Chart:
This procedure compares the actual power supplied by the heater with the power calculated from a given value of k from textbooks
to produce a calibration curve of power losses in the equipment. This curve will help to have more accurate results in later tests.
The data will be provided by engineer and you have to plot that data to on the graph with ∆T on x-axis and Power loss on y-axis. The
plotted points will be used to make approximate straight trend-line along with
Figure 2: Calibration Chart Using Air
the equation of the line. You can either use excel or derive the equation using the
formula; y− y1 =m( x−x 1).
PROCEDURE:
1. Use an accurate thermometer to check the local ambient air temperature for reference. Note the actual radial gap as
written on the experiment unit.
2. Make sure you check with the injectors that air is completely filled inside the container and there is no vacuum.
3. Open the water outlet valve to start the water flowing. The water flow should be very less. switch on the heater and
carefully set the heater power until the temperature difference between T 1 and T2 is around 10 degrees.
4. Wait for temperature to stabilize and then record T 1 and T2.
5. Repeat the test for one reading less than 10 degrees and another more than 10 degrees’ temperature. But just keep in mind
not to raise the temperature T1 higher than 80 ⁰C.
6. Switch off the heater and water supply. (NOTE: It is better to start the unit before 30 min for stability).
7. Take the calibration chart data from the lab engineer and follow the instructions provided in fig.6 to find the power loss.
OBSERVATIONS:
For air at 20⁰C k=0.026 Wm-1 K-1, For Castor Oil at 20⁰C k=0.18 Wm-1 K-1, As=0.0126m2 & ∆r=0.293mm.
Ambient Temperature=______°C.

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Note: Corrected Power (W)= (Heater Power- Power Loss from calibration chart). Calculated K=(Wc∆r)/(As∆T)
Where Wc is corrected power.
SPECIMEN CALCULATION:
Select any one of the readings and perform all the calculations on it using the step by step procedure and show it on Calibration
chart as well.
DISCUSSION:
It should be in bulleted format. Long paragraphs are strictly not allowed. It is your understanding about the
experiment includes all data, calculations and charts analysis. You must include the practical application of this
experiment as well.
Discuss about the experimental error and possible resources.
CONCLUSION:

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Annexure:
Table 1:Thermal Conductivity of a Selection of Materials at Room Temperature

Figure 3: Thermal Conductivity of Air Against Temperature

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 Power loss Vs (T1-T2)

f(x) = 0.63 x − 3.69

Power Loss

5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55

ΔT

(T1-T2) Vs Power loss Linear ((T1-T2) Vs Power loss)

Figure 5: Power loss vs ΔT

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 Sustainable Renewable Energy Engineering
Fall 17-18
Heat Transfer Lab

Observation Sheet
EXP#2: Thermal Conductivity of Gases.
Section: Group:
Experiment Date: Submission Date
Lab Instructor: Lab Engineer:
Student Name ID