NILE UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING

GET233-GENERAL ENGINEERING LABORATORY 1-THERMODYNAMICS

NAME/ID NO/DEPT:__________________________________________________________
EXPERIMENT FOUR
THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY OF INSULATING POWDER APPARATUS
OBJECTIVE: - Study of conduction of heat transfer through insulating powder.
AIM: - To determine Thermal Conductivity of Insulating Powder
INTRODUCTION: -
In many heat transfer equipment, heat loss to surroundings is to be minimized to achieve maximum
economy. In such cases they are lagged by materials of lower thermal conductivity, which are referred as
insulators. Because of demand of such insulating materials, many industries have come up to produce such
material. Preference is given to produce materials having lower thermal conductivities. Also, their material
is available in different shapes, sizes, and forms of powders. Powders have the advantage that they can take
any complicated shape between any two confirming surfaces. In addition, its conductivity will be much
lower than that of the Basic solid from which the powder has been made. This is because of a very large
number of air spaces in between particles, which have much lower thermal conductivity values. Thermal
conductivity of such material is a complicated function of the Geometry of the particles, particle thermal
conductivity, the nature of heat transfer, conduction, convection, and radiation in air spaces, which is
determined by the air space size and temperature level etc. Thus, it is very difficult quantity to estimate and
almost in all practical cases it is measured.
THEORY: -
Consider the transfer of heat by conduction through the wall of hollow sphere formed by the insulating
powdered layer packed between two thin copper spheres.
Let
ri = radius of inner sphere in meter
ro = radius of outer sphere in meter
Ti = average temperature of the inner surface in ºC
To = average temperature of the outer surface in ºC
T1 + T2 + T3 + T4 T + T6 + T7 + T8 + T9 + T10
Ti = To = 5
Where, 4 and 6
From the Experimental values of q, Ti and To, the unknown thermal conductivity k can be determined as:
Q(ro − ri )
K= , Watt / m − O C
4ro ri (Ti − To )
DESCRIPTION:-
The apparatus consists of two thin-walled concentric spheres of copper of different size. The small inner
copper sphere houses the heating coil. The insulating Powder is packed between the two spheres. The power
given to the heating coil is measured by Voltmeter and Ammeter and can be varied by using Dimmer stat.
There are ten (T1 to T10) Thermocouples embedded on the copper spheres, T1 to T4 (4 Nos.) are embedded
on the inner sphere and rest T5 to T10 (6 Nos.) on the outer sphere. Thermal Conductivity of Insulating
Powder can be finding out by taking the temperature reading of these thermocouples. Assume that Insulating
Powder is an isotropic material and the value of Thermal Conductivity to be constant. The apparatus assumes
one dimensional radial heat conduction across the powder and thermal conductivity can be determined.
EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE: -
✓ Switch on the main power supply 220 AC single phase, 50 Hz.
✓ Increase slowly the input to heater by the dimmer-stat starting from zero-volt position.
✓ Adjust input equal to any value between 20 to 60 Watt maximum by Voltmeter and Ammeter.
Wattage W = V x I
✓ See that this input remains constant through the Experiment.

PREPARED BY: ADELEKE W.A ENGR TECH

 NILE UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA
FACULTY OF ENGINEERING

GET233-GENERAL ENGINEERING LABORATORY 1-THERMODYNAMICS

NAME/ID NO/DEPT:__________________________________________________________
✓ Thermocouple readings are taken at frequent intervals (say once in 10 minutes) till consecutive
readings are same indicating that steady state has been reached.
✓ Note down the readings in the observation table.
SCHEMATIC DIAGRAM: -

SPECIFICATION:-
✓ Radius of the inner copper sphere, ri : 50mm
✓ Radius of the outer copper sphere, ro : 100mm
✓ Voltmeter : 0-500 V
✓ Ammeter : 0-2 A
✓ Temperature Indicator : 0-200ºC.
✓ Dimmer-stat : 0-2A, 0-230 V
✓ Heater coil-Strip Heating Element Sandwiched between mica sheets
✓ Thermocouples No. T1 to T4 embedded on the inner sphere to measure Ti
✓ Thermocouples No. T5 to T10 embedded on the outer sphere to measure To
NOMENCLATURE, OBSERVATION & CALCULATIONS:-
NOMENCLATURE:
Radius of inner sphere ri = 50 mm
Radius of outer sphere ro = 100 mm
Voltmeter reading V = V, Volt
Ammeter reading I = A, Amp
Heater Input q = V x I Watts.
Inside surface temperature ºC Ti = ºC
Outside surface temperature ºC To = ºC
Thermal Conductivity K = Watt / m −O C
OBSERVATION TABLE:-
Voltmeter Reading (V)
Ammeter Reading (I)
Inner Sphere:
Thermocouple No T1 T2 T3 T4
Temperature ºC

PREPARED BY: ADELEKE W.A ENGR TECH

 NILE UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA
FACULTY OF ENGINEERING

GET233-GENERAL ENGINEERING LABORATORY 1-THERMODYNAMICS

NAME/ID NO/DEPT:__________________________________________________________
Outer Sphere:
Thermocouple No T5 T6 T7 T8 T9 T10

Temperature ºC
FORMULA’S & CALCULATIONS:-
• q = V * I , Watt

T1 + T2 + T3 + T4
• Ti =
4
T + T6 + T7 + T8 + T9 + T10
To = 5
• 6
q(ro − ri )
• K= , Watt / m − O C
4ro ri (Ti − To )

CALCULATION TABLE:-

Q Ti To K
S/N
(W) (Mean Inner Temp.) (Mean Outer Temp.)
1.
NOTE: There is a possibility of getting abrupt result if the supply voltage is fluctuating or if the input is not
adjusted till the satisfactory steady state condition reached.

PRECAUTIONS:
1____________________________________________________________________________________

2____________________________________________________________________________________

3____________________________________________________________________________________

CONCLUSION:-
_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

QUE. 1. What principles does the apparatus work on?

_____________________________________________________________________________________
2. What factors affect thermal conductivity measurements?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

PREPARED BY: ADELEKE W.A ENGR TECH

 NILE UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA
FACULTY OF ENGINEERING

GET233-GENERAL ENGINEERING LABORATORY 1-THERMODYNAMICS

NAME/ID NO/DEPT:__________________________________________________________
EXPERIMENT FIVE
TEMPERATURE MEASUREMENT APPARATUS
OBJECTIVE: To study different types of temperature sensors for characteristics.
THEORY:
This part of the instruction manual describes a brief theory of following different temperature sensors
A) Resistance temperature detectors (RTD)
B) Thermistors
C) Thermocouples
D) Liquid-filled thermometers
E) Bimetallic Thermometers.
AIM: 1. Measurement of the output of Sensors by Multi-meter
1.) Fill the ice pot with cold water.
2.) Check the output of RTD and Thermocouple (J-type) by multi-meter at ambient temperature
and note in the following table.
3.) Shift the temperature sensor probes in cold water.
4.) Check the output of RTD, and Thermocouple (J-type) by multi-meter and note in
the following table.
OBSERVATIONS:
Output observed at Ambient Output observed at _______oC
S/N Type of sensor
Temperature Temperature
1. RTD ________  
2. Thermocouple (J-type) _____mVolts mVolts
CONCLUSIONS:
• The RTD-type temperature sensor shows resistance in, which increases with rise in
temperature.
• The thermocouple-type sensor gives out put in millivolts, which increases with rise in
temperature.
AIM: 2. STUDY OF THE CHARACTERISTICS OF RESISTANCE TEMPERATURE
DETECTOR RTD (PT100)
A resistance temperature detector (RTD) is a transducer. The metallic resistance of RTD increases
with temperature. This increase is very nearly linear. Metals used in these devices vary from
platinum, which is very repeatable, quite sensitive and very expensive, to nickel, which is not quite
as repeatable, more sensitive and less expensive.
Construction:
An RTD is simply a wire whose resistance is to be monitored as a function of temperature. The
construction is typically such that the wire is wound on a form (in a coil) to achieve a small size
and improve thermal conductivity to decrease response time. In many cases, the coil is protected
from the environment by a sheath or protecting tube that inevitably increases response time but may
be necessary in hostile environments. A loosely applied standard sets the resistance at multiples of
100 for a temperature of 0oC.
When greater accuracy is desired, tables or graphs of resistance versus temperature are used.
Because of the small fractional change in resistance with temperature, the RTD is usually used in a
bridge circuit with a high-gain null detector. In general, RTD has a response time of 0.5 to 5 seconds
or more. Though different types of RTD’s are available in the market PT-100 is most commonly
used.

PREPARED BY: ADELEKE W.A ENGR TECH

 NILE UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA
FACULTY OF ENGINEERING

GET233-GENERAL ENGINEERING LABORATORY 1-THERMODYNAMICS

NAME/ID NO/DEPT:__________________________________________________________

Procedure:
• Keep the RTD probe and thermometer in the Ice bath.
• Connect the RTD output to Multimeter to measure resistance in ohms
• Note the reading of Thermometer and corresponding output of RTD in Ohms in the following
observation table.
• Increase temperature of cold water in the ice bath at requires intervals by adding water. Note
the readings of thermometer and multimeter.
• Repeat the above step for further readings
• Shift the RTD and thermometer from ice bath to hot water bath filled with water of ambient
temperature and note the reading.
• Switch on the heater of hot water bath for 30-40 sec to raise the bath temperature to the
required level. Wait for 20 seconds and note the reading.
• Repeat the above step for other required high temperatures.
OBSERVATION TABLE:
Temp reading oC ≤5 ≤25 ≤45 ≤65 ≤85
Thermometer Reading C o

Resistance of RTD 
i. Plot the graphs of resistance of RTD in  versus Temperature C in oC of the sensor.
ii. Comments on your graph.
PRECAUTIONS:
1. _______________________________________________________________________

2. _______________________________________________________________________

3. _______________________________________________________________________
CONCLUSION:-
_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

QUE. What type of thermometer is an infrared thermometer?___________________________

__________________ ___________________________________________________________

PREPARED BY: ADELEKE W.A ENGR TECH