Sana’a University Faculty of Engineering

Department of Mech. Eng.

Experiment Title: heat conduction along a simple bar

Experiment No.: (2)

Student’s Name: Mustafa Hussein Muhsen Althary

Academic Number: 201770012

Division: (morning class)

Group Number: one

Instructor:
Eng.

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 1.0 Introduction (0.1)

Conduction is the transfer of energy from the more energetic particles of a substance to the
adjacent less energetic ones as a results of interactions between the particles. This form of
energy is called heat transfer energy. Conduction take place in solid particles and caused by
combination of vibrations of molecules and energy transported by free electrons.
For experiment a simple dimensional approach is required to demonstrate the basic law that
relates rate of heat flow to temperature gradient and area.

2.0 Objectives (0.1)

 The purpose of experiment is to determine the thermal conductivity of brass bar
for one dimensional steady flow of heat
 Investigating the validity of Fourier law by comparing the experimental thermal
conductivity with the actual thermal conductivity

3.0 Theory (0.1)

𝑓𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑟 𝑙𝑎𝑤 𝑜𝑓 ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑡 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑑𝑢𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑞 = 𝑘𝐴 (𝑤 )

𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑞 ∶ 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑜𝑓 ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑡 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑑𝑢𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑘: thermal conductivity 𝑜𝑓 𝑚𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑎𝑙

∶ 𝑡𝑒𝑚𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑡

Here we considered the flowing statues:

 The heat flow rate is steady
 The rate of heat is transferred in one direction
 The thermal conductivity is constant.

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 4.0 Apparatus (0.1)

The calibration unit consists of the electricity

parts that control the heat power needed to
provide the test unit and it has a screen gives
the thermocouples reading temperatures.

calibration unit

A: Control Box B: Selector Box C: Power Regulator

D: Heater Knob (CCW is off) E: Heater Power Cable (from either conduction apparatus)

The test unit consists of the metal bar, one end of

which is heated by an electric heater while the
other end of the bar projects inside the cooling
water jacket. The middle portion of the bar is
surrounded by a cylindrical shell filled with the
asbestos insulating powder. The temperature of the
bar is measured at nine different sections while the
radial temperature distribution is measured by
separate thermocouples at six different sections in
the insulating shell. Water under constant heat
condition is circulated through the jacket and its
flow rate and temperature rise is noted.

test unit

A: Linear Conduction Apparatus B: Radial Conduction Apparatus C: Thermistors

D: Thermistors Cables E: Cooling Tubing

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 5.0 Procedures (0.1)
 Ensure that the control box and the generator are deactivated.
 Check that control box is plugged into the power regulator.
 Connect the heater power cable from the linear conduction apparatus
to the front of the control box.
 Installing the brass bar in the middle of the rod where the brass is
painted by conductible paint to reduce the gaps that cause errors.
 Plug the water chiller into the other outlet located which cools the
other end of rod to ensure a steady state flow of heat.
 Turn the heater knob on the control box counterclockwise direction
 Turn the power regulator on and control box.
 Turn the power of heat to 15 w.
 Once the temperatures have stabilized at the sex thermistor we
record the temperatures at each point.

6.0Readings, Calculations, and Discussion (0.4)

Temperature T (c) Displacement x (m)

52.2 0

51.3 0.01

48.8 0.02

44.4 0.03

43.2 0.04

42.5 0.05

34.8 0.06

33.4 0.07

32.1 0.08

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 60

T = -273.33x + 53.456
50
temperature T in celuisess

40

30

20

10

0
0 0.01 0.02 0.03 0.04 0.05 0.06 0.07 0.08 0.09
displacement x in m

𝒅𝑻 𝒒
𝒒 = −𝑨 ∗ 𝒌 ∗ →𝒌= −
𝒅𝒙 𝒅𝑻
𝑨∗
𝒅𝒙
−𝟏𝟓 𝒘
𝒌= − → 𝒌 = 𝟏𝟏𝟏. 𝟖𝟓𝟓
𝝅 𝒅 𝒎∗𝒌
∗ 𝟎. 𝟎𝟐𝟓𝟐 ∗ (−𝟐𝟕𝟑. 𝟑𝟑𝒙 + 𝟓𝟑. 𝟒𝟓𝟔)
𝟒 𝒅𝒙
𝒘
𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒖𝒂𝒍 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒎𝒂𝒍 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒅𝒖𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒐𝒇 𝒃𝒓𝒂𝒔𝒔 𝒊𝒔 𝒌𝒂 = 𝟏𝟏𝟎
𝒎∗𝒌
𝒘
𝒂𝒃𝒔𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒕𝒆 𝒆𝒓𝒓𝒐𝒓 = |𝒌𝒂 − 𝒌| = |𝟏𝟏𝟎 − 𝟏𝟏𝟏. 𝟖𝟓𝟓| = 𝟏. 𝟖𝟓𝟓
𝒎∗𝒌
𝒂𝒃𝒔𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒕𝒆 𝒆𝒓𝒓𝒐𝒓 𝟏. 𝟖𝟓𝟓
𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒄𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒈𝒆 𝒆𝒓𝒓𝒐𝒓 = ∗ 𝟏𝟎𝟎% = ∗ 𝟏𝟎𝟎% = 𝟏.
𝒌𝒂 𝟏𝟏𝟎
Conclusion and discussion:

From the graph we see that the temperature decrease as moving from the source of heat
And the points are close to the fitting line means the error is little.
From the experiment we note that Fourier law is satisfying the experimental and the actual
thermal conductivity.
Possible sources of errors in the results of the experiment:
 Not waiting enough time to let the temperature reach its stable value and we suppose to wait a 20
minutes in each temperature.
 The frequently change of the heat flow rate q between 15 and 14.9 w.
 The rushing recording of the temperature due to its frequently changing in value.
 The conductible paint causes error.
 Human error.
 The heat rate doesn’t perfectly flow in one dimension even when we use high isolated coated
material thus cause the heat to flow in y and z axis which responsible for errors.
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