Al-Balqa Applied University

Faculty Engineering Technology

Chemical Engineering Department
Heat Transfer Lab

Experiment (2)
Thermal Conductivity
Objective :
1- To investigate fourier’s law linear conduction of heat
along simple bar .
2- To calculate the value of thermal conductivity for brass .
Theory :
Heat is the form of energy that can be transferred form one
system to another as a result of temperature difference ,
heat can transferred by different modes , one of them
conduction , which is the transfer of energy from the more
energetic particles to less one , conduction can take place in
solid . The rate of heat conduction through a medium
depends on the material of the medium , its thickness , and
the temperature difference across the medium .
( Area)(Temperature difference )
Rate of heat conduction α Thickness

dT
Q=−k A
dX
( Fourier’s law of heat conduction )

Where the constant of proportionality k is the thermal

conductivity of the material , which is the measure of the
ability of the material to conduct heat , A high value for
thermal conductivity indicates that the material is a good
heat conductor and the low value indicates that the material
is a poor heat conductor or insulator .
Relation used in this experiment :
Power = A * V
 Q = power * %
dT
Q=-kA dx ( fourier law )
A=π×r2
∆y ∆T
Slope = ∆x = ∆x
(acceptable value−mesured value)
Error % = acceptable value * 100 , where the
acceptable value of thermal conductivity for brass = 125
W/m.K ( ref : http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/Tables/thrcn.html )

Reading of the experiment :

A = 0.192 A
V = 242 V
L = 3 cm = 0.03 m
D = 2.5 cm = 0.025 m
Set T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6 T7 T8 T9 %
poin
t
60 52.5 50.4 48. 45.4 43.3 41.3 39 37.3 35.6 36
1
70 60.9 58.1 55. 52.1 49.4 46.8 44 41.5 39.3 45
2

Sample of calculation :
Power = 242 * 0.192 = 46 W
Q = 46 * 0.36 = 16.56 W
Area = π ( 0.0125)2 = 4.9 × 10-4 m2
Slope = 215.3
16.73
k=
215.33× 4.9 ×10−4
= 158.56 W/m.K
125−158.56
Error % = 125 * 100 = 26 %
Results :
Set point P ( W) Q(W) K ( W/m.K ) Error %
60 46 16.73 158.56 26 %
70 46 20.9 156.14 24 %

Curves :

Setpoint 60
330

325

320

315

310

305

300
0.005 0.015 0.025 0.035 0.045 0.055 0.065 0.075 0.085
 Setpoint 70
340

335

330

325

320

315

310

305

300
0.005 0.015 0.025 0.035 0.045 0.055 0.065 0.075 0.085

Discuss:
From the result we note that the thermal conductivity of first
attempt higher than the second , although the heat rate for
second higher than the first attempt , maybe because the
temperature difference in the second attempt higher than
the first . As we note that the error in the first attempt is
higher than the error in the second attempt depending on
the reference value of thermal conductivity for the brass , the
error maybe caused by errors while taking reading or error in
the accuracy of calculations .