Estimating thermal diffusivity and specific heat from needle probe thermal conductivity data
Review of Scientific Instruments
By: W.F. Waite, L.Y. Gilbert, W.J. Winters, and D.H. Mason
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Abstract
Thermal diffusivity and specific heat can be estimated from thermal conductivity measurements made using a standard needle probe and a suitably high data acquisition rate. Thermal properties are calculated from the measured temperature change in a sample subjected to heating by a needle probe. Accurate thermal conductivity measurements are obtained from a linear fit to many tens or hundreds of temperature change data points. In contrast, thermal diffusivity calculations require a nonlinear fit to the measured temperature change occurring in the first few tenths of a second of the measurement, resulting in a lower accuracy than that obtained for thermal conductivity. Specific heat is calculated from the ratio of thermal conductivity to diffusivity, and thus can have an uncertainty no better than that of the diffusivity estimate. Our thermal conductivity measurements of ice Ih and of tetrahydrofuran (THF) hydrate, made using a 1.6 mm outer diameter needle probe and a data acquisition rate of 18.2 pointss, agree with published results. Our thermal diffusivity and specific heat results reproduce published results within 25% for ice Ih and 3% for THF hydrate. ?? 2006 American Institute of Physics.
Suggested Citation
Waite, W., Gilbert, L., Winters, W., and Mason, D., 2006, Estimating thermal diffusivity and specific heat from needle probe thermal conductivity data: Review of Scientific Instruments, v. 77, no. 4, 044904, https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2194481.
| Publication type | Article |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Title | Estimating thermal diffusivity and specific heat from needle probe thermal conductivity data |
| Series title | Review of Scientific Instruments |
| DOI | 10.1063/1.2194481 |
| Volume | 77 |
| Issue | 4 |
| Publication Date | April 12, 2006 |
| Year Published | 2006 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | AIP Publishing |
| Contributing office(s) | Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center |
| Description | 044904 |