Mapua University

Senior High School

Science, Technology, Engineering
and Mathematics

CHE151L/A31
EXPERIMENT 2
RADIATION
Petiza, Alfred Kenneth
Sabigan, Christian
Salvador, Kristine Michelle
Salvador, Nikki John Jershwin

Engr. Emma E. Ordoño

ABSTRACT
In heat transfer analysis, the ratio of thermal conductivity to heat capacity is an important property known
as thermal diffusivity, α, which measures the rate at which heat diffuses through a material. In the
experiment, two steel balls (big and small) were used in the study of unsteady state heat transfer to evaluate
factors affecting the thermal diffusivity of steel ball and to prepare and interpret temperature profile for
heated steel ball quenched in a water bath. For the determination of the thermal diffusivity of the steel
ball, the following procedures were followed. The outer radius of the steel ball was measured using a
vernier caliper. The steel ball was heated in the water bath at 95⁰C. The quench tank was set at temperature
equal to 45⁰C. The steel ball was then transferred to the quench tank when it reached 95⁰C. After 30
seconds, the temperature reading at the center hole was determined. It was assumed that there is no thermal
resistance between the quenched fluid (water) and the surface of the steel ball, the parameter m is equal
to zero. The thermal diffusivity of the big steel ball and the small steel ball were determined as 6.9 x 10-
6 m2/s, and 2.985 x 10-6 m2/s. For the preparation of the temperature profile of each steel ball, same
procedures were done. But the readings of temperature are done after every 5 seconds. The measurements
were stopped after 3 consecutive constant temperature readings were noted.

Keywords: Heat transfer, Thermal diffusivity, Thermal conductivity, Heat capacity

Petiza, Alfred Kenneth

Introduction temperature within the system does vary with

Heat transfer is the transfer of thermal energy
from a body, at a high temperature, to another at
a lower temperature. This transfer of thermal
energy may occur under steady or unsteady state
conditions. The focus of this experiment is
unsteady state heat transfer, where the
time.
Since no system starts at steady state ahead,
unsteady state conditions are precursor to steady
state condition. When unsteady state happens it
may be cause by unstable boundary temperatures
at startup, sudden temperature fluctuations
during steady state conditions, or internal
generation of heat. Therefore, clearly, no system
can remain under unsteady state conditions
perpetually. The temperature of the system will
eventually reach the temperature of the heat
source, and once this happens, the system will be
at steady state. Even if the amount of heat being
transferred into the system is increased, at some
point the system reaches its critical temperature
and the energy transferred into it the starts
causing phase changes within the system rather
than temperatures increases. A perfect example
of this scenario is boiling of potato, due to
internal resistance, at first the distribution of heat
is not uniform within the potato where its center
is not heating up at the same rate of its skin. But
when the potato is allowed to equilibrate, the
temperature inside would not change anymore
with time.
Another parameter evaluated in the experiment is
thermal diffusivity (α) which is used to examine
the rate at which heat diffuses though a material.
Also, it measures the ability of a material to
conduct thermal energy relative to its ability to
store thermal energy. Thermal diffusivity is the
ratio of thermal conductivity to density and
specific heat capacity at constant pressure as
shown in Equation 4.1.
𝑘 𝑌 = 𝑇 𝑓−𝑇
𝛼 = 𝜌𝐶 [Equation 4.1]
𝑝
Substances with high thermal diffusivity rapidly
adjust their temperature to that of their
surroundings, because they conduct heat quickly
in comparison to their volumetric heat capacity
or 'thermal bulk'. In a sense, thermal diffusivity
is the measure of thermal inertia.
Thus, the aim of this experiment is to evaluate the
factors affecting the thermal diffusivity of steel
ball and to interpret the temperature profile for
heated steel ball quenched in a water bath.
Sabigan, Christian
Materials and Methods
The experimental set-up is consists of a quench
tank, water bath, a thermocouple unit and two
different size steel balls. Before performing the
experiment, the water bath was allowed to heat
up to a constant temperature of 95°C and the
quench tank is maintained at 45°C.
The experiment started by submerging the big
steel ball with thermocouple into the water bath
while maintaining its initial temperature. When
the temperature stabilized, the steel ball was
transferred into the quench tank. After 30
seconds, temperature readings was measured
with every 5 seconds interval until the reading is
constant.
For thermal diffusivity, the radius of the each
steel ball must be known, also the distance of the
thermocouple from the center of the ball. The
value of the unaccomplished change (Y) is first
measured by using Equation 4.2. In this equation,
T is given to be the temperature at any point from
center, Tf and Ti are the final and initial
temperatures, respectively. All temperature are in
°C. Afterwards, the Y computed was used to
determine the relative time (or Fourier number),
X using the empirical equation given in Equation
4.3, with the values of the constants, a and b, are
given in Table 4.1.
𝑇
[Equation 4.2]
𝑓−𝑇𝑖
log 𝑌 = 𝑎𝑋 + 𝑏 [Equation 4.3]
m n a b
0.0 0.0 -4.172 0.2666
0.2 -4.194 0.2443
0.4 -4.251 0.1694
0.6 -4.320 0.0142
0.8 -4.376 -0.3032
1.0 ∞ 0.0000
Table 4.1. Coefficients for Transient Temperature for
sphere
The values of m and n, relative resistance and
relative position, respectively, are computed
using the equations 4.3 and 4.4.
 𝑟
𝑛=𝑟 [Equation 4.3] It was assumed that there is no thermal resistance
1
between the quenched fluid (water) and the
𝑘
𝑚 = ℎ𝑟 [Equation 4.4] surface of the steel ball, the parameter m is equal
1
to zero. As determined, the thermal diffusivity of
Since the relative time, X is known the thermal the big steel ball and the small steel ball were 6.9
diffusivity can be computed using equation 4.5. x 10-6 m2/s, and 2.985 x 10-6 m2/s. Materials with
θ in this equation is 30 seconds. large values of α will respond quickly to changes
𝛼𝜃 in their thermal environment, whereas materials
𝑋=𝑟 2
[Equation 4.5]
1 with small values of α will respond slowly to
A temperature profile was also evaluated after changes in their thermal environment, taking
the experiment to see how the process of varying longer to reach a new equilibrium condition.
temperature is affected by time.

Salvador, Kristine Michelle

BIG STEEL BALL
Results and Discussion Tf = 45⁰C
r1 = 3.72 cm
Two steel balls (big and small) were used in the ϴ = 30 sec
study of unsteady state heat transfer. The steel Center Hole (C)
balls have a center hole in which the Ti 95⁰C
measurements were done and evaluated. The T 65⁰C
scope was about one-dimensional conduction YC 0.4
r 0.88
where temperature varies temporally and in one
nC 0.24
spatial direction, i.e., temperature varies with XC 0.149
time and distance. Through the experiment, the αC 6.9 x 10-6
factors affecting the thermal diffusivity of steel αave 6.9 x 10-6
ball were evaluated. A temperature profile for Table 4.2. Results for Big Steel Ball
heated steel ball quenched in a water bath was
prepared and interpreted.
SMALL STEEL BALL
For the determination of the thermal diffusivity
Tf = 45⁰C
of the steel ball, the following procedures were
r1 = 2.65 cm
followed. The outer radius of the steel ball was ϴ = 30 sec
measured using a vernier caliper. The steel ball Center Hole (C)
was heated in the water bath at 95⁰C. the quench Ti 95⁰C
tank was set at temperature equal to 45⁰C. The T 55⁰C
steel ball was then transferred to the quench tank YC 0.2
when it reached 95⁰C. After 30 seconds, the r 1.85
nC 0.7
temperature reading at the center hole was XC 0.12752
determined. The thermal diffusivity was αC 2.985 x 10-6
determined using an empirical equation and αave 2.985 x 10-6
notations for the use of the modified Gurney-
Lurie chart for sphere. Table 4.3. Results for Small Steel Ball
For the preparation of the temperature profile of
each steel ball, same procedures were done. But
the readings of temperature are done after every
5 seconds. The measurements were stopped after
3 consecutive constant temperature readings
were noted.

BIG STEEL BALL

Temperature Temperature
Time, Reading, ⁰C Time, Reading, ⁰C Figure 4.1. Temperature Profile for Big & Small Steel
s s Ball
5 95 55 51 The graph (Figure 4.1) generated shows that the
10 91 60 50 small steel ball lost its heat faster than the big
15 84 65 49 steel ball as time progressed. It was also the first
20 76 70 48 to have 3 consecutive constant temperature
25 70 75 48 readings. The temperature profile made opposed
30 65 80 47 the results of the calculation of the thermal
35 61 85 47 diffusivity. In the calculation, the big steel ball
40 58 90 46 has a higher value of thermal diffusivity which
45 55 95 46 tells that it will respond quickly to changes in its
50 53 100 46 thermal environment. But in the temperature
profile, the small steel ball was the one that
Table 4.4. Temperature Reading for Big Steel Ball responded quickly to changes in its thermal
environment.

Salvador, Nikki John Jershwin

SMALL STEEL BALL
Temperature Temperature Conclusion
Time, Reading, ⁰C Time, Reading, ⁰C
s s The factors affecting the thermal diffusivity of
0 95 50 47 steel ball were evaluated. A temperature profile
5 88 55 46 for heated steel ball quenched in a water bath was
10 79 60 46 prepared and interpreted.
15 71 65 46
20 64 Thermal diffusivity measures the rate at which
25 59 heat diffuses through a material. In a substance
30 55 with high thermal diffusivity, heat moves rapidly
35 52 through because the substance conducts heat
40 50 quickly relative to its volumetric heat capacity or
45 48 'thermal bulk'. The substance generally does not
Table 4.5. Temperature Reading for Small Steel Ball require much energy transfer to or from its
surroundings to reach thermal equilibrium.

As determined, the thermal diffusivity of the big

steel ball and the small steel ball were 6.9 x 10-6
m2/s and 2.985 x 10-6 m2/s. Materials with large
values of α will respond quickly to changes in
their thermal environment, whereas materials
with small values of α will respond slowly to
changes in their thermal environment, taking
longer to reach a new equilibrium condition.

The factors that affect the thermal diffusivity of

the steel ball are unaccomplished change, relative
time, relative position, and relative resistance.

Petiza, Alfred Kenneth

References

Gutierrez, C., De Guzman, M., 2005. Chemical

Engineering Laboratory Manual Part 2, 9-15.

Lide, David R. (2009). Handbook of Chemistry

and Physics (90 ed.). Boca Raton, Florida: CRC
Press. p. 2-65

Venkanna, B.K. (2010). Fundamentals of Heat

and Mass Transfer. New Delhi: PHI Learning.
p. 38