EXPERIMENT 3

Unsteady heat conduction in a sphere

Contributed by

S.G.BANKOFF

Principle

One method of measuring thermal diffusivities of different solids is to im- merse a sphere
of the material in a hot (or cold) water bath, and to measure the temperature response at
different points within the solid.

Objective

To provide a simple undergraduate experiment illustrating Fourier's Law for unsteady heat
conduction.

Apparatus

A 5-8-cm-diameter sphere is used of the material whose thermal conductivity it is desired to

measure. Plexiglas is good because one can see the placement of the thermocouples. Other
possible choices include wood, rubber, sponge rubber, or even such familiar objects as an
apple or an orange. For soft materials sheathed, hypodermic-type thermocouples are
preferable. For hard materials small radial holes are drilled to the center and to the midradius.
Thermocouples are inserted into the bottom of these holes, and good thermal contact is
ensured by using conductive heat transfer paste. The holes are sealed against water entry by
silicone or other sealant. A constant-temperature water bath with a stirrer is required, together
with a frame to hold the sphere. In the simplest version the thermocouples are read manually
from a potentiometer with a thermocouple switch, or from two potentiometers. A preferable
arrangement uses amplifiers for the two inserted thermocouples, with digital or analog
readout. A multichannel temperature scanner may be used, or the instructor may wish to write
a simple program for sampling the data and storing in a PC. A thermocouple in the water
bath is also monitored to ensure constant temperature conditions.

Procedure

The water bath is brought to a constant temperature of 60-5 °C, and the sample holder is
suddenly immersed. Readings are taken as often as possible. After the sphere has come to
temperature equilibrium, it may be immersed in an ice-water bath and the process repeated.
The Biot number may also be varied by running with the stirrer on and off.
The one-term approximation to the exact solution is:
1
𝜃 ∗ = 𝐶% exp(−𝜍% 𝐹- ) ∗
sin(𝜍% 𝑟 ∗ ) (3.1)
𝜍% 𝑟

Or

%
𝜃 ∗ = 𝜃 ∗7 8 ∗
𝑠𝑖𝑛(𝜍% 𝑟 ∗ ) (3.2)
9 :

Where

𝑇 − 𝑇?
𝜃∗ =
𝑇% − 𝑇?

: AB CAD
Is the dimensionless temperature at. r* = and 𝜃- ∗ =
:@ A9 CAD

Is the dimensionless center temperature, given by

𝜃- ∗ = 𝐶% 𝑒𝑥𝑝(−𝜍% H 𝐹- ) (3.3)

Where

𝑇? = liquid temperature
T1= initial temperature
T( r,t)=temperature at radial position r and time t
ro= sphere radius
I.J
𝐹7 = : K Fourier number
@
𝛼=thermal diffusivity of solid
M:
Bi = N@ =Biot number

h = surface heat transfer coefficient

k= thermal conductivity of the solid

𝐶% and 𝜍% are functions of Bi ,and are tabulated in Incropera and Dewit , Fundamentals of
Heat and Mass Transfer, Chap. 5, as well, as other texts. This approximation holds for Fo
≥0,2
Thus, a semilog plot of 𝜃7 ∗ versus time should give a straight line whose slope
C89 K I
and intercept with t=0 give and 𝐶% , respectively .From the table, one can
:@ K
thus determine Bi, and thence 𝜍% and 𝛼 . For smaller Fourier numbers the full
series solution should be used in this case the one- term solution should be used
to give initial values for Bi and α which are then adjusted iteratively to give a
good fit to the data.

To check your calculations, the midradius temperature data can be used,

together with Eq. (3.2). Another check can be made with the graphical (Heisler)
charts found in nearly all heat transfer texts. The student should tabulate the
values of a and Bi thus found, and discuss the probable reasons for any
discrepancies.

Acknowledgment. This experiment, which is used in the undergraduate chemical engineering

laboratory course at Northwestern, was designed and put into operation by Prof. J. S. Dranoff.

Suggested headings

Constants

𝑇% = 𝑇? = 𝑟- = 𝑟%/H =

T0. T1/2 t 𝜃𝑜 ∗ 𝜃%/H ∗

Reference
Experiments in heat transfer and thermodynamics. Edited by Robert A. Granger.Professor of
Mechanical Engineering. United States Naval Academy. Pages 16-18

S.G.Bankoff
George Bankoff is Walter P. Murphy Professor Emeritus of Chemical and Mechanical
Engineering at Northwestern University in Evanston, IL. and Director of the Center for
Multiphase Flow and Transport. He is the winner of the 1987 Max Jakob Memorial Award
in Heat transfer.