THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY IRON

Joshua Pias, David Cespedes

Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional de Ingeniera
ABSTRACT

The heat transfer process by which energy is exchanged in the form of heat between
different bodies may be given in three ways: conduction, convection and radiation. Our
interest lies in the first. The thermal conductivity of iron was studied. First, we studied
the relevant equations such as Fourier's law, energy balance and the differential equation
governing the transmission of heat .Then several measurements were performed was
studied , the average phase velocity was calculated to determine the thermal conductivity
and the diffusion coefficient thermal . We used Periodic heating method in the end of the
bar was used.
Key words:
Conduction, Fourier's law, energy balance, thermal conductivity, thermal diffusion
coefficient.
1. INTRODUCTION
The experiment consist in the study of
the thermal conductivity of iron, to begin
the analysis is appropriate to deduce the
expression we will use to study concepts
such as Fourier's law, energy balance and
some considerations.

(1)

Also the energy balance equation (for

simplicity consider the one-dimensional
case x):

Where:
: Speed heat conduction in x

: Rate of change of energy storage

element.

Where K is the coefficient thermal

conductivity, A the area of study.

+ + =

: Generation rate within the

element.

Fourier's law for heat transmission by

conduction:
=

+ : Speed heat conduction in x+x

(2)

(3)

From Eq. (2) will be based for the

equation to study. Without considering
power generation = 0 and
replacing Eq. (3). By grouping and
dividing = :
(+ )

(+ )

(4)

In the limit x--> 0, y--> 0, z--> 0, t-> 0, using Eq. (1) and considering K as
a constant.

(5)

Where

thermal

diffusion

coefficient. Eq. (3) is the differential

equation governing the transmission of
heat in a material.

Now we use the separation of variables

to find a general solution of Eq. (5):
(, ) = ()()

(7)

Now we have:

2. SEEBECK EFFECT

If the circuit is closed by the union of two

different materials and this union has
physical contact with an object
temperature of this is seen as a potential
difference is generated at the junction of
the metals. The circuit of this type is
called thermocouple.

(8)

From Eq. (8), we have the solutions:

() =
() =

(9)

(10)

Set as our particular solution of (5):

A thermocouple is a thermoelectric
generator that converts heat into
electricity. It occurs when two wires
joined together at their respective ends
are subjected to a temperature difference.
Between points a potential difference
that increases with temperature and can
be detected by electrical measurements
apparatus is generated.
That is why the Seebeck effect is used in
the measure of temperature

= +

(11)

Then the solution of our problem is:

(, ) =

( )

+ +

(12)

This solution represents a damped

harmonic wave is transmitted with a
phase velocity.
=

(13)

Where is the phase velocity.

From Eq. (6) and (12) we get:
3. METHODOLOGY
For the calculation of constant thermal
conductivity , there are different methods
to calculate it , one of them are: flow
method longitudinal heat, method
Forbes bar, method of radial heat flow ,
method of direct electric heating ,
thermoelectric method comparative
method thermal and heat flow method
periodic.
Let us consider the problem of periodic
warming at the end of the bar of infinite
length (and infinite radius):

( = , ) = + (

= =

(14)

From Eq. (13) and (14):

=
=

(15)
(16)

These last two equations (15) and (16)

are of interest. Measuring the phase
velocity and the heating period, we
impose.

(6)

Where parameter is the heating period.

2

4. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE

The following experimental setup was

used.

Fig 1: experimental diagram where x1

and x2 were fixed the thermocouple.
Following the heating method will be
explained how to proceed to carry out the
experiment.
The end of the iron bar was heated with
a Bunsen burner for about an hour to be
stable heat conduction.
Then you must turn off the burner, also
the gas valve to prevent leakage, it must
be switched off for 5 minutes.
After 5 minutes should light the burner
for another 5 minutes. This operation is
repeated for 5 complete cycles.
Data voltages V1 and V2
thermocouples every 30 seconds for
better presentation of graphs it was
taken.
Then the ignition timing or heating
period be 5 minutes.
The phase velocity is calculated by
taking the variation of time it takes a
peak or fence of graphic 1 corresponding
to voltages V1 to V2.

the coefficient of thermal conduction

respectively.
In order to compare our results, we are
going to considerate the following values
of the thermal diffusion coefficient and
the coefficient of thermal conduction [2]
= . /
= . /
5. EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS
AND CALCULATIONS
According to equation (12) for heat
transfer values V1 and V2 graph over
time to obtain the following chart.

This gives us the idea that changes so fast

heat transfer by conduction from one
point to another; these points are where
thermocouple are coupled.
An important consideration is that the
dilatation is homogeneous iron bar.

(17)

Once the phase velocity is calculated,

and considering = . /
= . /.

Finally, we can get from Eq. (15) and

(16) the thermal diffusion coefficient and

Fig 2: Where V1 is the measured x1

along the time values and v2 are the
measured x2 along the time values.

In the table below we resume our calculus

from the graphics.

N of
tprom(s)
experience

Vphase(cm/s)

Table 3: It shows the average speed

phase and uncertainty.
To calculate the coefficient of thermal
diffusivity equation (15) was used.

124.4

0.0611

115.0

0.0661

137.1

0.0554

130.7

0.0581

To calculate the thermal conductivity

equation (16) was used.
Considering:
L= (7.61.0)cm
And:

Table 1: shows the average time

difference between points in phase of
curve V1 and V2 (the time it takes to
reach a point of the damped wave from
X1 to X2)
As we can see from Table 1 variations of
time in each experience it is very
different in some cases so the average is
taken, also be considered as uncertainty
of measurement uncertainty plus the
standard deviation

tprom total(s)

126.8

uncertainty(s)

9.2

= ( )s
The reason of the uncertainty in was
the time delay or advance to light the
lighter.
We got:
(*10-6m2/s)

(W/m.K)

value

17.30

68.36

uncertainty

5.01

19.80

%error

29%

28%

Table 2: It shows the total average set of

measurements and uncertainty.

Table 4: It shows the values of the

thermal
diffusivity and
thermal
conductivity with their uncertainties.

With the overall average of the

temperature variation and the variation
of position known phase velocity you are
obtained average

Below was compared with the

theoretical values for obtain the relative
error.

Vphaseprom (cm/s)

0.0602

uncertainty
(cm/s)

0.0123

%error relative

10%

7. CONCLUSIONS

14%

The average thermal diffusion

coefficient is: (17.305.01)*10-6m2/s
Table
5:
and .

relative

error

for

6. DISCUSIONS
For data processing could not make the
adjustment in Origin for the equation
(12) because this is an ideal equation.
Also worth noting that doing half cycle
(off or on) the wave has fallen and
downs; and fences have peaks and points
that are nearly constant, therefore a
statistical error is considered for
inclusion.
The experimental value of k is less than
the theoretical, this is due to a reason in
principal that while longer you wait to
get the heat from point to point x1 x2,
then t is greater, then v k will therefore
be lower less. But because the t is large
compared with k t makes it very similar
to the theoretical k, is because if the iron
was completely isolated from the
surroundings, whether the asbestos had
an efficiency of 100%, the heat would
flow directly from point to point x1 and
x2 as this does not happen, a little heat
flow is dissipated to the surroundings,
causing a delay in driving this.

The average coefficient of thermal

conductivity is: (68.3619.80)*W/m.K
In Figure 2, we corroborated that is a
damped wave is transmitted with a
speed of average phase:
(0.06020.0123) cm/s

8. REFERENCES
[1]Incropera.
F.P,
Benith.
D.P.
Fundamentals of heat and mass transfer.
New
York.
J.Wiley
[2]Gua de laboratorio de Fsica
Intermedia, Universidad Nacional de
Ingeniera.
[3]Aureum. Milarium. Propiedades
trmicas de materiales. 2015. [online]
[4]Jhon R. Taylor, An Introduction to
Error Analysis, 2nd ed.

In Fig. 2 was observed that the waves are

diminishing and this is because, as
explained in the next steps, the first few
minutes about an hour, give heat to the
iron rod, once turn off the burner and you
are not giving heat to the bar, and by
convection on the free end bar loses heat,
once lit the burner heat is conducted and
so on.
5