HJD INSTITUTE OF TECH EDU & RESEARCH

MECHANICAL ENGG DEPT

Experiment No 2: THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY OF INSULATING MATERIAL

Aim:
To determine the thermal conductivity of insulating powder.
Introduction:
There are many heat exchanger equipment, where heat losses due to the surroundings should be
subjected to minimum. In such a case, the exterior surface of the equipment is covered by a material of
lower thermal conductivity called as insulator. Demand of such , material has led many industries to
have come up with insulators of different categories, shape and sizes. One important category of
insulating material is in powder form. The powder can take any complicated shape between any two
containing surfaces. In addition its thermal conductivity is much lower than that of its basic solid form,
because of the larger number of air gaps present between particles.
Description:
The experimental setup consists of two thin walled concentric brass hemispheres. The inner
sphere houses the heating coil. The insulating powder filled in the annular gap between the two
copper spheres takes the form of hollow sphere. The power supply to the heater is adjusted by
dimmerstat and it is measured by voltmeter and ammeter. Four thermocouples are used to
measure the temperature for analysis. The two thermocouples, number as T1 and T2 are
embedded on outer surface of the inner sphere and two thermocouples numbered as T3 and T4
are embedded on the inner surface of outer sphere.
Procedure:
1. Adjust the dimmerstat to required value.
2. Put on the selection switch of the temperature indicator to the required temperature.
3. Wait till the steady state is reached.
4. Note the readings of the temperature at different points and tabulate.
Control Panel and Instrumentation Specifications:
Digital Temperature Scanner: Micro-Controller based 10 Channel Scanner for RTD type Sensor
with Thumbwheel Switch. Make: Nutronics, India
Digital Voltmeter: Single Phase Range 0-300 V AC. Size: 48(H)x 96(W) x 130mm(D) Make
Nutronics, India
Digital Ammeter: Single Phase Range 0-2 Amp AC. Size: 48(H)x 96(W) x 130mm(D) Make
Nutronics, India
Cam Operated Rotary Switch with ON/OFF Switching Position For Heater Operation and Mains
Supply
LED Main Supply Indicator
Continuously Variable Autotransformer : Single Phase - 2 Amp, Open Type Air Cooled
Heater: 300 Watt Spherical Type Heater
Thermocouple: RTD Type 4 Nos.

Heat & Mass Transfer

Semester 6

161906

HJD INSTITUTE OF TECH EDU & RESEARCH

MECHANICAL ENGG DEPT

Observations:
1. Radius of inner sphere ri = 50 mm
2. Radius of outer sphere ro = 100 mm
Observation Table:
Sr
No

Heat Input
V

Temperature
I

T1

T2

T3

T4

1
2
3
4
5

Fig. Insulating Powder Conductivity

Calculations:
Temperature of inner sphere of hollow insulating sphere
Ti = (T1 +T2) / 2 =C
Temperature of Outer sphere of Hollow insulating sphere
To = (T3 + T4) / 2 =.C
The energy input to the heater Q = V. I (Watt)
Thermal Conductivity of insulating powder
Q ( ro ri )
K=
W / mK
4 rori (Ti To )
Conclusion:
Thermal conductivity of given insulating powder is ______________ W / m.k

Heat & Mass Transfer

Semester 6

161906