EXPERIMENT-5

5.1 Aim: Study of one dimensional steady state linear heat conduction and understanding the
significance of contact resistance.

5.2 Theoretical Description:

5.2.1 Steady state linear thermal conduction: Thermal conduction is the molecular transfer of heat in
solid, liquid and gaseous media under the influence of a temperature difference. If the
temperature of the surfaces remains constant with respect to time, then the conduction is
called Steady state conduction.

The heat flow rate Q̇ in a steady state linear conduction is proportional to the cross sectional
area and the temperature difference along the direction of the heat flow, and is inversely
proportional to the length in the direction of heat flow. According to Fourier’s law of heat
conduction;

dT
Q̇=−k A (1)
dx

Where, k is the thermal conductivity of the material through which heat is flowing. T is the
dT
temperature and A is the cross sectional area. is the temperature gradient in the direction
dx
of heat flow. Negative sign is introduced here to have the value of heat transfer rate positive, as
the heat is always transferred from the higher temperature to the lower temperature.

Here it is assumed that the heat conduction is in one direction only as the temperatures along
other directions are assumed to be constant.

The equation (1) above can be rewritten as;

Q̇ dT
q̇= =−k (2)
A dx

Where, q̇ is called the heat flux. In the above equations, by substituting the units of parameters,
viz. Q̇ is in Watt, A in m2, temperature gradient in K/m, we obtain the unit of thermal
conductivity k as, W/m-K

Referring to Fig.5.1, the conduction heat transfer rate

through the wall can be given as;

kA (T 2−T 1)
Q̇= (3)
l

Where, l is the thickness of the wall.

 5.2.2 Conduction heat transfer through a composite wall: Referring to Fig. 5.2, the conduction heat
transfer rate through the different layers of the wall can be given as;

k 1 A(T 1−T 2) (T 1−T 2)

Q̇= =
st
1 Layer: l1 l1 (4)
k1 A

2nd Layer:
k 2 A(T 2−T 3) (T 2−T 3 )
Q̇= =
l2 l2
k2 A
(5)

Fig. 5.3 Thermal Resistance network for

osite wall composite wall

5.2.3 Thermal Resistance: We know, by Ohm’s law, the voltage drop (Potential difference), the
current flow (rate of flow) and the electrical resistance for the circuit shown in Fig.5.3, is given
as;

V
V =I (R 1+ R 2) or I= (7)
R 1+ R 2

If the electric circuit in Fig. 5.3 is compared with the thermal circuit in Fig. 5.2, then we may
represent the conduction heat transfer rate Q̇ as;

T 1−T 4
Q̇= (8)
Rth 1+ R th2

Where, Rth represents thermal resistance, and comparing eq. (8) with eq. (4), (5) and (6), it is
l
clear that Rth = for conduction heat transfer and suffixes 1,2 and 3 represents the layers of
kA
 the wall. Thus each layer of the wall is acting as the resistance in the path of conduction heat
flow.

Hence, for the composite wall of Fig. 1.2, the conduction heat transfer rate can be given as;

T 1−T 4
Q̇=
l1 l2 (9)
+
k1 A k 2 A

5.2.4 Thermal Contact Resistance: In the above analysis, we assumed “perfect contact” at the
interface of two layers, and thus no temperature drop at the interface is considered. This is
possible only when the surfaces are perfectly smooth and they produce a perfect contact at
each point. But, in reality, even flat surfaces that appears smooth to the eye turn out to be
rather rough when examined under a microscope, as shown in Fig. 5.4, with numerous peaks
and valleys. When two such surfaces are pressed against each other, the peaks form good
material contact but the valleys form voids filled with air. As a result, an interface contains
numerous air gaps of varying sizes that act as insulation because of the low thermal conductivity
of air. Thus, an interface offers some resistance to heat transfer, and this resistance per unit
interface area is called the thermal contact resistance, Rc.

Fig. 5.4 Thermal Contact Resistance

Consider heat transfer through two metal rods of cross sectional area A that are pressed against
each other. Heat transfer through the interface of these two rods is the sum of the heat
transfers through the solid contact spots and the gaps in the non contact areas and can be
expressed as
 It can also be expressed in an analogous manner to Newton’s law of cooling as

where A is the apparent interface area (which is the same as the cross sectional area of the rods)

and is the effective temperature difference at the interface. The quantity , which
corresponds to the convection heat transfer coefficient, is called the thermal contact
conductance and is expressed as

The thermal contact resistance is observed to decrease with decreasing surface roughness and
increasing interface pressure. Thermal contact resistance can be minimized by applying
thermally conducting liquid called thermal grease such as silicon oil on the surfaces before they
are pressed against each other. There are some other ways also to reduce thermal contact
resistance.

5.3 Equipment Description:

consists of following important components.

Fig. 5.5 Linear heat conduction unit (H111A)
 Heating section housing a 25 mm diameter cylindrical brass section with a nominally 65 W
cartridge heater with integrated high temperature cut out (automatic reset)
 Three fixed thermocouples T1, T2 and T3 positioned along the heated section at 15 mm intervals
 Cooling section cooled at its bottom end by water flowing through a chamber in the material
similar to the heating section
 Three thermocouples T6, T7 and T8 positioned along the cooled section at 15 mm interval
 Four intermediate sections are supplied to place between the heated and cooled sections
 The four intermediate sections are: Brass specimen- 30 mm long, 25 mm diameter fitted with
two thermocouples T4, T5 at 15 mm intervals along the axis; Stainless Steel specimen;
Aluminium specimen; Brass specimen with reduced diameter

5.4 Aim-1: Temperature distribution measurement for steady state conduction through a plane
wall.

5.4.1 Procedure for experiment:

 Smear the faces of the heated and cooled sections with thermal conducting paste and clamp
them together with the Brass intermediate section in place (Note: when the heated and cooled
brass surfaces are clamped tightly with brass specimen together and are in good thermal
contact, the assembly forms a continuous homogeneous sample of uniform cross section and
material thus Fourier’s law of heat conduction for plane wall (Eq (3)) can be applied for analysis)
 Ensure the cooling water is flowing
 Set the voltage V to approximately 120 volts
 If the cooling water temperature is high (25-35 0C or more) then the voltage may be required to
be increased so as to have proper temperature difference between the hot and cold ends of the
bar
 Monitor temperatures T1 to T8 until stable
 Record the temperatures when stabilised in the observation table (Table 1)
 Increase the heater voltage by approximately 50 volts and repeat the above procedure again
recording the parameters T1 to t8 and V and I when temperatures have stabilised
 At the end of the experiments, reduce the heater voltage to zero and shut down the system

Sample No. T1 0C T2 0C T3 0C T4 0C T5 0C T6 0C T7 0C T8 0C V I
1
2
3
4
Distance 0 0.015 0.03 0.045 0.06 0.075 0.09 0.105
from
T1
Table 5.1 Observation Table for Aim-1

Sample No.
W K K K m m m WmK W/mK W/mK
1
2
3
 4
Table 5.2 Calculation Table for Aim-1(Given: Specimen c/s area, A=0.00049 m2)
5.4.2 Results:

1. Thermal Conductivity of Section 1 of bar, =

2. Thermal Conductivity of Section 2 of bar,

3. Thermal Conductivity of Section 3 of bar,

5.5 Aim-2: Temperature distribution measurement for steady state conduction through a
composite wall and determine the overall heat transfer coefficient.

5.5.1 Procedure for the experiment: The procedure remains same as in Aim-1 except that the
specimen will be of different material (Stainless Steel) than that of heated and cooled sections
(brass). Schematic is shown in Fig. 5.6. The system (heated section, specimen and cooled
section) will be of the form of composite wall as shown in Fig. 5.7

Fig. 5.7 Equivalent Arrangement for Aim-2

Fig. 5.6 Schematic Arrangement for Aim-2

Sample No. T1 0C T2 0C T3 0C T4 0C T5 0C T6 0C T7 0C T8 0C V I
1
2
3
4
Distance 0 0.015 0.03 0.045 0.06 0.075 0.09 0.105
from
T1

Table 5.3 Observation Table for Aim-2

5.5.2 Calculation:
 S. No.
W K m m m W/mK W/mK W/mK
1
2
3
4

Table 5.4 Calculation Table for Aim-2 (Specimen c/s area, A=0.00049 m2;

kbrass=121 W/mK; kSS=25 W/mK)

5.5.3 Result:

5.6 Aim-3: Determination of thermal conductivity of a metal specimen

5.6.1 Procedure for experiment: The procedure remains same as in Aim-1 except that the specimen
will be of different material (aluminium) than that of the heated and cooled section (brass).
Schematic is shown in Fig. 5.8. The system (heated section, specimen and cooled section) will be
of the form of composite bar as shown in Fig. 5.9

Fig. 5.9 Equivalent Arrangement for Aim-3

Fig. 5.8 Schematic Arrangement for Aim-3

S. No. T1 0C T2 0C T3 0C T4 0C T5 0C T6 0C T7 0C T8 0C V I
 1
2
3
4
Distance 0 0.015 0.03 0.045 0.06 0.075 0.09 0.105
from
T1
Table 5.5 Observation Table for Aim-3

5.6.2 Calculation:

Note:

Fig. 5.10 Determination of hot face and cold face temperatures

S. No.
W K K K W/mK
1
2
3
4
 Table 5.6 Calculation Table for Aim-3 (Conductivity of Aluminium = 180 W/mK)

5.7 Aim 4: To verify that the temperature gradient is inversely proportional to the cross sectional
area for one dimensional conduction.

5.7.1 Procedure for experiment: The procedure remains same as in Aim-1 except that the specimen
will be of different cross section than that of the heated and cooled section. Schematic is shown
in Fig. 5.11. The system (heated section, specimen and cooled section) will be of the form of
composite bar as shown in Fig. 5.12.

S. No. T1 0C T2 0C T3 0C T4 0C T5 0C T6 0C T7 0C T8 0C V I
1
2
3
4
Distance 0 0.015 0.03 0.045 0.06 0.075 0.09 0.105
from
T1
Table 5.7 Observation Table for Aim-4
5.7.2 Calculation:

Temperature gradient in reduced section:

Temperature gradient in heated section:

Ratio of cross sectional areas:

S. No.
0 0
W C C K W/mK
1
2
3
4
Table 5.8 Calculation Table for Aim-4 (Reduced diameter section c/s area,
Aint=0.00013 m2)
5.7.3 Result:

5.8 Aim 5: Demonstration of the effect of contact resistance on thermal conduction

5.8.1 Procedure for experiment:

 Ensure that the faces of the heated and cooled sections are cleaned of thermal conducting paste
and that the brass intermediate section is also similarly cleaned
 Lightly coat the mating faces between the cooled section and the brass intermediate specimen
with thermal paste and assemble them together
 Do not coat the mating faces of the heated section and the brass intermediate specimen with
thermal paste and assemble
 Tighten the tensioning screw but leave the clamps open for first three readings and clamp
them for the last reading
 Rest of the procedure remains same as in Aim 1

Fig 5.13 shows the schematic of this arrangement.

S. No. T1 0C T2 0C T3 0C T4 0C T5 0C T6 0C T7 0C T8 0C V I
1
2
3
4
Distance 0 0.015 0.03 0.045 0.06 0.075 0.09 0.105
from
T1
Table 5.9 Observation Table for Aim-4
Plot a graph between the distance
from thermocouple T1 and
Temperature.
 Fig. 5.12 Schematic Arrangement for Aim-4
5.8.2 Results: