University of Bahrain

College of Engineering
Department of Chemical Engineering

Liner Heat Conduction

PICENG 216

Transport Processes II

Done by:

No. Student ID Student Name

1 20155025 Asma Zakarya
2 20162394 Maryam Alsahaf
3 20163300 Duaa Jaafar
4 Meaad Nasser
 TABLE OF CONTENT

TABLE OF CONTENT .................................................................................................................. ii

LIST OF FIGURES ....................................................................................................................... iii

List of Tables ................................................................................................................................. iv

OBJECTIVES ................................................................................................................................. 1

1.0 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................... 1

2.0 THEORITCAIL BACKGROUND ........................................................................................... 2

3.0 EQUIPMENT DESCRIPTION ................................................................................................ 3

4.0 PROCEDURE ........................................................................................................................... 4

4.1 Fitting the Experiment........................................................................................................... 4

4.2 Using the Thermal Paste ....................................................................................................... 4

4.3 Standard Brass Material ........................................................................................................ 5

5.0 RESULTS ................................................................................................................................. 6

6.0 CALCULATION ...................................................................................................................... 7

7.0 DISCUSSION OF RESULTS .................................................................................................. 8

8.0 CONCLUSION ......................................................................................................................... 9

REFERINCES............................................................................................................................... 10

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 LIST OF FIGURES

FIGURE 1: CONDUCTION ON SOLIDS ................................................................................................................................2

FIGURE 2:TD1002 HEAT TRANSFER DEVICE..................................................................................................................3
FIGURE 3: THE HEAT EXCHANGER .................................................................................................................................3
FIGURE 4: TEMPERATURE VS. DISTANCE .......................................................................................................................7

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 List of Tables

TABLE 1: THE EXPERIMENT RESULTS ............................................................................................................................6

TABLE 2: THE GRAPH TABLE .........................................................................................................................................6
TABLE 3: ROW MATERIAL ..............................................................................................................................................6

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OBJECTIVES

- To show how heat conducts linearly along a solid bar of uniform dimensions and materials

- To show how different materials in contact can affect linear heat transfer

- To show how you can calculate the thermal conductivity of the material in a solid bar

- To show how thermal paste helps to give a good thermal conduction

1.0 INTRODUCTION

Thermal conduction is the transfer of heat energy in a material due to the temperature gradient
within it. In other words, it is defined as the transfer of energy from more energetic particles to
adjacent less energetic particles as a result of interactions between the particles. It always takes
place from a region of higher temperature to a region of lower temperature. A solid is chosen for
the experiment of pure conduction because both liquids and gasses exhibit excessive convective
heat transfer. In solids, conduction is the combined result of molecular vibrations and free
electron mobility. [1]
2.0 THEORITCAIL BACKGROUND

According to Fourier’s law of heat conduction, linear

Conduction of heat along a simple bar If a plane wall
of thickness (ΔX) and area (A), supports a
temperature difference (ΔT) then the heat transfer
rate per unit time (q) by conduction through the wall
as shown in figure 1, is found to be[2]:
Figure 1: conduction on solids
𝑑𝑇
q = KA 𝑑𝑥

If the material of the wall is homogeneous and has a thermal conductivity k (the constant of

proportionality) then:

𝛥𝑇
q = - KA 𝛥𝑥 where ΔT = T1 – T2

It should be noted that heat flow is positive in the direction of temperature fall hence the negative
sign in the equation. For convenience the equation can be rearranged to avoid the negative sign as
follows:

𝛥𝑇
q = KA 𝛥𝑥

To calculate the conductivity constant, we could rearrange the previse equations to be as follows:
𝑞 𝛥𝑥
K=
𝐴 𝛥𝑇

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3.0 EQUIPMENT DESCRIPTION

This experiment unit shows how heat conducts along a solid

brass bar of uniform circular cross section. It has an electric
heater at one end to generate heat energy (heat source) and a
small chamber at the other end (heat sink). The cold-water
supply from the Base Unit (Fig. 2) flows through the heat sink
to remove the heat energy. A thermal switch next to the heater
works with the Base Unit to switch off the electrical supply to
the heater if it becomes too hot.[3]
Figure 2:TD1002 Heat Transfer
Device

Seven thermocouples (Fig. 3) equally spaced along the bar measure the temperature gradient
between the heat source and heat sink. The bar includes an interchangeable middle section fitting
different metals and study how they affect the temperature gradient along the bar. Insulation
surrounds the bar to reduce heat loss by radiation and convection, giving more accurate results to
compare with theory.

Figure 3: The Heat Exchanger

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4.0 PROCEDURE
4.1 Fitting the Experiment

To start the experiment the following steps must be followed

1. Switch off the Base Unit and its heater switch.

2. Put the experiment onto the front of the Base Unit. Use the thumbscrews to hold it in
position.

3. Connect the water supply pipes (if your experiment needs them). Make sure you
connect them the correct way.

4. Switch on your water supply and allow water to pass through the experiment for
several minutes while checking for leaks.

5. Connect the thermocouples from the experiment to the sockets on the Base Unit
(matching the correct numbers). Connect the heater cable from the experiment to the
socket on the Base Unit.

6. Switch on the Base Unit. Turn the heater control to minimum and switch on the heater.

4.2 Using the Thermal Paste

Use the thermal paste on each side of the interchangeable mid-section of the Linear Heat
Conduction Experiment. Wear suitable gloves and spread the paste evenly over the surface,
making sure there are no air bubbles.

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4.3 Standard Brass Material

The following steps is important to establish the experiment and to collect your results:

1. Connect and set up the linear heat conduction experiment.

2. Fit the brass middle section, using the heat transfer paste as described in Using the
Thermal Paste.

3. Create a blank results table. If you have VDAS, select the correct experiment. The
software will create a table for you automatically when you start taking readings.

4. Use an accurate thermometer to check the local ambient air temperature for reference.

5. Open the water outlet valve to start the water flowing, then switch on the heater and set
to 30 Watts power.

6. Wait for the temperature to stabilize and then record T1 to T7.

7. For comparison, repeat the test at one or more heater powers greater than 30 W.

8. Switch off the heater and water supply.

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5.0 RESULTS

Table 1: The Experiment Results

material steel
Power (W) T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6 T7
68 64.3 60.7 46.3 32.3 29.5 26.5

68 64.3 60.7 46.3 32.3 29.5 26.5

68 64.3 60.7 46.3 32.3 29.5 26.5

68 64.3 60.8 46.3 32.3 29.5 26.5

68 64.3 60.8 46.3 32.3 29.5 26.5

20
68 64.3 60.8 46.3 32.3 29.5 26.5

68 64.3 60.8 46.3 32.3 29.5 26.5

68 64.3 60.8 46.3 32.3 29.5 26.5

68 64.3 60.8 46.3 32.4 29.5 26.5

68 64.3 60.8 46.3 32.4 29.5 26.5

Avg (oC) 68 64.3 60.77 46.3 32.32 29.5 26.5

Table 2: The Graph Table

Avg (oC) 68 64.3 68.77 46.3 32.32 29.5 26.5

Distance (mm) 0 20 40 60 80 100 120

Table 3: Row Material

Radius (mm) Steel conductivity constant (W/m°C) [4]

15 50

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 Temperature and distance
80
Thot face Tcold face
70
Middle section
60
Temperature (c)

50

40

30

20

10

0
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140
Distance (mm)

Figure 4: Temperature VS. Distance

6.0 CALCULATION

- The slope for the middle section:

Slope = ΔT / ΔX = (58-52)/( 44 × 10-3 - 52 × 10-3 ) = - 750 oK/m

- The steel conductivity constant:

𝑞 𝛥𝑥 20 1
K= - = × = 37.7 W/m°C
𝐴 𝛥𝑇 𝜋 (15×10−3 )2 750

- The percentage error :

|𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒𝑑−𝑐𝑎𝑙𝑐𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑑 |
%error= × 100 = ( (50-37.7) / 50 )×100 = 24.6%
𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒𝑑

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7.0 DISCUSSION OF RESULTS

There were some errors in the experiment when we compare the experimental steel conductivity

constant with the stander value. The error obtained of this experiment happened for many

reasons like:

- Ignoring the room temperature (the reference) because as we are searching we take
the stander value for steel conductivity at 25oC which is not accurate because maybe
our room temperature is different than 25oC.

- The power supply of our device effects our result also because it cutoff sometimes.

- Some error could maybe happen when we set up and connect the equipment

There is also other source of error like systematic error which is error in the design of the

experiment. Random error can be happened also because of the surrounding environment for

example, the temperature difference.

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8.0 CONCLUSION
In this experiment we have learned how to measure and calculate the conductivity constant.
There were some errors in measuring due to many reasons such as Human, environment,
instrument and random errors. In conclusion we recommend repeating the experiment with more
cautious to avoid or reduce the errors in measuring, we also recommend trying to measure the
conductivity constant with other devices that gives more accurate values.

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 REFERINCES

[1] “Conductivity, ” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conductivity Accessed in April 25, 2018

[2] “Transport Processes and Unit Operations”, Christie J. Geankoplis,5 th Edition, Prentice Hall
PTR, USA, 2003.

[3] “AYVA Education solution ,” https://www.ayva.ca/eng/product/heat-transfer-experiments-

base-unit/ Accessed April 15, 2018.

[4] “The Engineering Tools’, https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/thermal-conductivity-

metals-d_858.html Accessed April 30, 2018.

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