Professional Documents
Culture Documents
CARBON BLACKS
The thermal conduativity of three samples of commercial
carbon black has been measured. The thermal conductivity
appears to be independent of the ultimate particle si- and,
in two aamples, is lower than that of still air. Agglomeration
of carbon blaok into free-flowingpellets increases the conductivity
t o a value slightly higher than that of still air.
K(Ts
- Ti)
but by
- TI)
L - 2d
K(Tz
TABLE
I. ANQLE OF RBPOSEAND TXZRMAL
CONDUCTIVITY
OF
INSULATINQ
MATERIALS
Angle of
Repore
Thermal Conduotivity K
B.T.U.,Hr.-1, Ft.-s, In., F:-r
64O
399
0.30
0.480
0.310
0.182
0.17
38
28
..
TABLE
11. THERMAL
CONDUCTIVITY
OF CARBON
BLACK
Carbon Black
Grade 6
Qrade 0 Spheron
Monaroh 71
1111
Density
Lb./Cu. st.
16.2
20.2
12.0
A,
O
F.
192
162
189
?$.
Mean
Ttmp
74
74
77
133
118
183
0.141
0.182
0.148
1112
d "ood I l k
Exwnded rarmisuIIto
Vkigure 1.
Gr.mdatd
Carbon b1e.k
e0.k
of heat from o~ieto the other. Automatic control of this temperature differential was established by a multiple differential
thermocouple (eight couples in series) attached to the guard ring
and heater. This multiple couple was connectedto a galvanometer which deflected with the slightest temperature difference.
A ham of light was reflected from the galvanometer to a photoelectric relay which altered the current in the guard ring by
sbout 0.1 ampere. With this arrangement the temperature
difference between the heater and gusrd ring oodd be maintained to better than *O.Ola C.
The plate equipment was used in a horizontal pasitian to facilitate the introduction ofpowdercd materink. The ssmple was
held in place by an ashestas cloth ring fastened to the balm
r w d pacers to make two chambers approximstely 17.75 inches
in diameter and 1.5 inches thick. The total volume of sample
required for a test was approximately 0.43 cubic foot. Carbon
black, wei&ed 80 tbst it would fill one of these chembem to the
density mentioned (with B slight excess) was csrefully introduced
by pouring. When the u p w plate was plaeed in p i t i a n , it
compressed the sample slightly and -lured no air pocketa.
With material of such low conductivity. it is important to run
the test long enough to establish thermal equilibrium. The
standard test requiremente are not su5cient to give g o d equilibrium, and it WEE not u n d to apend 5 days for a determination
nt on? mean temperature. T h e change in calculated K vslue
might be lea than 1% over a %hour period, an specified in the
tentative code, hut over a period of 2 or 3 days the change was
much greater than this amount. Without these precautions
considerable error may result.
The Monarch 71 carbon h h k contained 2% moisture and the
Grade 6 material. 3%. The materials were tested without drying since these are the conditions under which they are normally
available in commercial quantities. Moisture tends to increase
the conductivity somewhat; hence it is &e to m u m e thst the
thermal conductivity of bonedry carbon black would be slightly
lower than the test vdues dven here.
MATERIALS
RESULTS A N D DISCUSSION
Aa initially produced, oarbcu blsck is an extrmely fluffymaterid with an apparent density between 5 sud 6 pounds; in this
condition ita flow properties are extremely poor. However, a
number of methods are employed for converting this material
into dustless, free-flowingpellets (S) with an apparent density of
around 20 pounds per cubic foot. This is the form in which it
is usually mpptied to the rubber tire industry. In this freeflowing condition it should provide an excellent insulating material, particularly for lilling difficult shapea or forms.
Figure 1 demonstrate the flow properties of pelletized carbon
hlwk as compsred to three stsndard insulating materists. The
vslues for the engle of repwe of these materials arc reported in
Tsble I.
The results of thermal oonductivity messurementa are prewentad in Table II. The K values of Grade 8 and Monarch 71
are lower than that of still air. The values far these two carbon
hlseks indicate that therms1 conductivity is independent of the
ultimate particle size over the range studied. The thermal conductivity of these two samples also ~ppearsto be independent of
Rpparent density. However, when the physical stste of the
material is altered by agglomeration into free-flowingpellets
shout 0.4 mm. in diameter, as in Grade 6 Spheron, a definite incram in thermal conductivity is noted. The value. however, i%
still only alightly higher than that of still air and about half thst
reported for other standard insulsting materials.
LITERATURE CITED
and Ventilating Engra., Tentstive Code
(l944), Teat for Thermal Conductivity of Materiala by
(21
. . Amon.
M), 309
(1938).
Smith. W. R.. Thornhill, F. S.. and Bray. R. I., Ibid.. 33, 1303
(12)
(1941).