FACULTY OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY

LAB REPORT
HEAT TRANSFER
EME 4016

Experiment 1 : Thermal Conduction

Name:

Tam Zhuang Sheng

ID:

1102702234

Experiment date:

12/11/2013

Due Date:

26/11/2013

Lecturer:

Dr. Chen Gooi Mee

Objectives
(a) To determine the thermal conductivity of insulating materials
(b) To interpret the wall temperatures during the heating up and illumination of the walls

Introduction
In steady state, the heat transfer through a plate with cross section area A and thickness L
depends on the temperature difference T1-T2between the front and rear sides and on the
thermal conductivity k of the plate material.

In these experiments, a model house with replaceable side walls is used for determining
the thermal conductivities of various walls and windows and for establishing the thermal
conductivities of different materials. For this purpose the temperatures on the inside and
outside of the walls are measured at a constant outer air temperature in the steady state.
The thermal capacity of the wall material affects the wall temperatures during heating up
and temporary exposure to solar radiation.

Standard Equipment
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
vi.
vii.
viii.
ix.
x.
xi.

High insulation house

Thermal regulation for high insulation house
Partitions, plastic form, 5 off
Lamp socket
Filament lamp, 220 V/100 W
Incandescent lamp, 220 V/120 W
Temperature meter 2x NiCr-Ni, hand-held
Thermocouple NiCr-Ni, 500 C max
Tripod base
Stopwatch, digital, 1/100
Support rod, stainless steel, l = 100 mm

Procedures
1. Since there will be a temperature gradient from the top downwards in any house,
all temperature measurements have to be recorded at the same height.
2. For measurement of the wall temperature, the tip of the thermocouple should be
firmly, secured at the level of the lateral holes and as close as possible to the
perpendicular centerline of the wall.
3. The room temperature is recorded.
4. The walls and windows made of the following materials for the first series of
measurements is set up and used:
i) Wood, 2cm in thickness
ii) Ordinary glass, 5mm in thickness
iii) Wood, 1cm in thickness
iv) Insulating glass window, 1.8cm in thickness
5. The power supply to the insulating house and the thermal regulator is turned on.
6. The temperature switch of the temperature controller is set.
7. During the heating-up, the inner and outer temperature is recorded for 30 minutes
at an interval of 1 minute for all materials.
8. A table is created to show the temperature measurements clearly.
9. The 120W incandescent lamp is placed at a 15cm distance in succession for
materials (a) and (b). Take down the temperature during the illumination of the
walls for 10 minutes at an interval of 1 min.
10. The lamp is disconnected.
11. The power supply to the insulating house and the thermal regulator is turned off
before opening the cover of the house.
12. The insulating house is cooled down to the room temperature.
13. Materials (a) and (b) by the walls and windows is set up and replaced by the
second series of measurements:
i)
Stryropor, 2cm in thickness
ii)
Wooden wall, 2.7cm in thickness
14. Steps 5 to 13 are repeated.

Results
T1 inner, T2 outer
First series (without illumination)

Time,(min)

Wood, 1cm
o

Ordinary glass, 5mm

Wood, 2cm

Insulating glass windows,

1.8cm

T1 ( C)

T2( C)

T1( C)

T2( C)

T1( C)

T2( C)

T1( C)

T2(oC)

26.2

26.0

25.9

25.9

26.1

26.0

26.5

26.7

26.1

25.8

25.9

25.2

26.2

25.8

26.6

26.5

26.4

25.8

26.0

25.7

26.5

25.8

26.7

26.4

27.1

25.7

26.4

25.8

27.3

25.7

27.2

26.3

28.1

25.8

26.9

26.0

28.2

25.8

27.8

26.3

29.2

25.9

27.5

26.3

29.4

25.8

28.5

26.3

30.2

26.2

28.1

26.6

30.4

25.8

29.1

26.3

30.7

26.3

28.2

27.0

30.9

25.8

29.5

26.3

31.0

26.8

28.8

27.3

31.2

25.9

29.8

26.3

31.1

27.0

29.1

27.6

31.4

25.9

30.0

26.4

10

31.2

27.1

29.2

27.8

31.4

26.0

30.3

26.3

11

31.2

27.3

29.4

28.0

31.4

26.1

30.4

26.4

12

31.2

27.5

29.5

28.2

31.3

26.2

30.5

26.5

13

31.1

27.6

29.5

28.3

31.2

26.3

30.5

26.5

14

31.0

27.8

29.5

28.4

31.1

26.3

30.5

26.6

15

30.9

27.9

29.5

28.4

31.0

26.4

30.5

26.6

16

30.8

27.8

29.5

28.5

30.9

26.5

30.5

26.6

17

30.7

27.8

29.4

28.5

30.8

26.5

30.5

26.7

18

30.5

27.8

29.3

28.4

30.6

26.6

30.5

26.7

19

30.4

27.8

29.3

28.4

30.5

26.7

30.4

26.8

20

30.3

27.9

29.2

28.4

30.4

26.7

30.4

26.8

21

30.0

27.9

29.1

28.4

30.3

26.7

30.4

26.8

22

29.9

27.9

29.0

28.3

30.2

26.8

30.2

26.9

23

29.8

27.9

29.0

28.2

29.9

26.7

30.0

26.9

24

29.7

27.8

28.9

28.2

29.8

26.8

29.9

26.9

25

29.6

27.3

28.8

28.2

29.7

26.7

29.8

28.9

26

29.4

27.6

28.7

28.1

29.6

26.8

29.8

26.9

27

29.3

27.4

28.6

28.0

29.6

26.7

29.7

26.9

28

29.2

27.5

28.5

27.9

29.5

26.8

29.6

27.0

29

29.1

27.6

28.4

27.8

29.4

26.8

29.5

27.0

30

29.0

27.4

28.4

27.8

29.3

26.8

29.4

26.9

Note: steady state is bolded

First series (with illumination on wood, 2cm)

Time,
(min)

Wood, 1cm

Ordinary glass, 5mm

Wood, 2cm

Insulating glass
windows, 1.8cm

T1(oC)

T2(oC)

T1(oC)

T2(oC)

T1(oC)

T2(oC)

T1(oC)

T2(oC)

29.9

27.3

28.8

27.8

30.5

30.0

30.0

27.1

30.3

27.4

28.9

27.9

30.7

53.7

30.2

27.2

30.3

27.5

29.0

28.0

30.7

59.1

30.3

27.2

30.3

27.6

29.0

28.1

30.7

62.3

30.3

27.2

30.3

27.5

29.0

28.0

30.8

64.5

30.4

27.3

30.3

27.6

29.0

28.1

31.0

66.7

30.4

27.3

30.2

27.7

29.0

28.1

31.2

68.0

30.4

27.4

30.2

27.6

29.0

28.1

31.7

69.8

30.4

27.4

30.0

27.7

29.0

28.2

32.1

71.6

30.4

27.4

30.0

27.8

29.0

28.2

32.2

72.4

30.3

27.5

10

29.9

27.8

28.9

28.1

33.0

73.4

30.3

27.5

First series (with illumination on ordinary glass, 5mm)

Time,
(min)

Wood, 1cm

Ordinary glass, 5mm

Wood, 2cm

Insulating glass windows,

1.8cm

T1(oC)

T2(oC)

T1(oC)

T2(oC)

T1(oC)

T2(oC)

T1(oC)

T2(oC)

29.6

27.8

28.9

28.8

35.1

40.6

30.2

27.4

30.5

27.6

36.7

44.4

36.8

38.5

30.5

26.6

30.8

27.6

41.3

49.0

37.5

37.4

30.7

27.6

31.1

27.6

45.7

53.0

38.0

36.4

30.8

27.7

31.3

27.6

49.0

56.3

38.3

35.6

31.0

27.6

31.5

27.8

52.1

59.1

38.3

35.1

31.1

27.7

31.8

27.9

54.8

62.1

38.7

34.8

31.7

27.8

31.9

28.0

57.1

63.9

38.8

34.2

31.4

27.8

32.1

28.1

59.1

66.1

38.9

33.8

31.5

27.9

32.4

28.2

60.8

67.6

38.9

33.5

31.7

27.9

10

32.5

28.3

62.3

69.1

39.3

32.3

31.8

28.0

Second series (without illumination)

Time,
(min)

Wood, 1cm

Wooden wall, 2.7cm

Styropor, 2cm

Insulating glass
windows, 1.8cm

T1(oC)

T2(oC)

T1(oC)

T2(oC)

T1(oC)

T2(oC)

T1(oC)

T2(oC)

25.0

25.0

25.5

24.9

25.2

25.0

25.9

25.6

25.0

25.0

25.5

25.0

25.2

25.0

25.9

25.6

25.3

25.0

25.5

25.0

25.7

25.0

26.0

25.6

26.0

25.0

25.4

25.0

27.1

25.2

26.4

25.6

27.2

25.3

25.4

25.0

29.3

25.4

27.1

25.5

28.9

25.6

25.4

24.8

32.1

25.7

28.0

25.5

30.2

26.1

25.4

25.0

34.2

26.1

28.8

25.5

30.9

26.5

25.4

24.9

35.4

26.4

29.4

25.6

31.1

26.9

25.3

25.0

35.9

26.6

29.8

25.6

31.4

27.3

25.4

24.9

35.9

26.7

30.1

25.7

10

31.3

27.6

25.3

24.9

35.8

26.7

30.4

25.7

11

31.3

27.8

25.4

24.9

35.5

26.0

30.5

25.9

12

31.2

28.0

25.3

24.8

35.1

26.8

30.5

25.9

13

31.2

28.2

25.3

24.9

34.8

26.6

30.7

26.0

14

31.0

28.3

25.3

24.8

34.4

26.6

30.7

26.1

15

30.9

28.4

25.4

24.9

34.0

26.6

30.7

26.2

16

30.7

28.5

25.5

24.9

33.6

26.5

30.5

26.2

17

30.5

28.5

25.5

24.9

33.1

26.5

30.5

26.3

18

30.3

28.5

25.5

25.0

32.7

26.3

30.5

26.3

19

30.2

28.4

25.5

24.9

32.4

26.1

30.5

26.4

20

30.0

28.4

25.5

24.9

32.1

26.1

30.4

26.5

21

29.8

28.3

25.7

25.0

31.8

26.2

30.3

26.5

22

29.7

28.2

25.7

24.9

31.5

26.1

30.2

26.6

23

29.5

28.2

25.8

25.0

31.2

25.9

30.0

26.6

24

29.4

28.1

25.7

25.0

31.0

26.0

29.9

26.6

25

29.2

28.1

25.8

24.9

30.7

25.9

29.9

26.7

26

29.1

28.0

25.8

25.0

30.5

26

29.8

26.7

27

28.9

27.9

25.8

24.9

30.3

25.9

29.7

26.8

28

28.8

27.8

25.8

24.9

30.0

25.9

29.6

26.8

29

28.7

27.7

25.9

25.0

29.9

25.9

29.5

26.8

30

28.6

27.7

25.9

25.0

29.7

25.8

29.4

26.8

Note: steady state is bolded

Second series (with illumination on styropor, 2cm)

Time,
(min)

Wood, 1cm

Wooden wall, 2.7cm

Styropor, 2cm

Insulating glass
windows, 1.8cm

T1(oC)

T2(oC)

T1(oC)

T2(oC)

T1(oC)

T2(oC)

T1(oC)

T2(oC)

41.2

43.6

25.6

26.2

33.0

48.9

32.0

27.9

40.9

41.8

25.6

26.3

33.9

69.1

31.9

27.8

39.6

40.1

25.6

26.4

35.6

74.3

31.9

27.8

38.4

38.8

25.7

26.3

36.6

76.1

31.8

27.9

37.4

37.4

25.7

26.4

37.1

76.3

31.7

27.8

36.6

36.4

25.7

26.3

37.3

76.9

31.6

27.8

35.8

35.3

25.7

26.4

37.4

76.3

31.6

27.7

35.1

34.5

25.7

26.5

37.3

74

31.5

27.8

34.4

33.8

25.7

26.5

37.2

73.8

31.4

27.8

33.8

33.1

25.7

26.3

37.1

70.7

31.3

27.8

10

33.3

32.6

25.6

26.1

37.0

67.7

31.3

27.7

Second series (with illumination on wooden wall, 2.7cm)

Time,
(min)

Wood, 1cm

Wooden wall, 2.7cm

Styropor, 2cm

Insulating glass
windows, 1.8cm

T1(oC)

T2(oC)

T1(oC)

T2(oC)

T1(oC)

T2(oC)

T1(oC)

T2(oC)

32.8

32.0

25.6

28.8

36.1

35

31.1

27.7

32.3

31.4

25.6

53.4

33.9

29.1

31.0

27.6

31.9

31.1

25.7

56.7

32.8

28

30.9

27.6

31.5

30.7

25.7

59.6

32.0

27.5

30.8

27.5

31.2

30.4

25.6

60.5

31.4

26.9

30.7

27.6

30.9

29.9

25.6

62.2

31.0

26.9

30.5

27.6

30.7

29.7

25.5

63.3

30.8

26.7

30.5

27.6

30.4

29.5

25.5

64.1

30.7

26.9

30.4

27.4

30.5

29.3

25.5

64.1

31.1

26.8

30.5

27.5

30.7

29.1

25.6

65.0

31.8

26.5

30.7

27.4

10

30.9

28.9

25.5

65.7

32.3

26.2

30.8

27.5

Discussions
1. In order to find the thermal conductivity of the material, we must first identify the
steady state temperature of each material. Besides that, we must also assumed that
the heat absorbed by a material will be convected completely through conduction in
material.
2. When the materials had reached the steady state, the following formula can be used
to calculate the thermal conductivity.

For 1cm wood,

For 5mm ordinary glass,

For 2cm wood,

For 1.8 cm insulating glass,

For 2cm styropor,

For 2.7cm wooden wall,

3. By comparing the values of the materials, we can found out that the 5mm ordinary
glass has the highest thermal conductivity, 0.0920
which means that it is the
best conductor of heat among the materials experimented. In the other hand, the
18cm insulating glass window recorded the lowest value of thermal conductivity of
0.0037
. It means that it doesnt conduct the heat very well.
4. The sequence of materials from high to low is 5mm ordinary glass, 1cm wood, 2cm
wood, 2cm styropor, 2.7cm wooden wall and lastly 1.8cm insulating glass window.
5. In order to calculate the thermal resistance, we must consider the air between the
thermal regulator and the walls and also the four walls thermal resistances. We can
say that the thermal resistance of the air is parallel with the four walls thermal
resistance.

Thermal
resistance of
air

Thermal
resistance of
walls

6. Hence, the thermal resistance can be found out by following formula :

By knowing the thermal resistance is equal to change of temperature over the heat transfer,
we can find the overall heat transfer.

7. The graph of temperatures versus time for materials (a) and (b) for the first and
second series measurements is plotted. Only the graph of each material with
illumination is plotted as others wall didnt have much changes.
8. From the graph, we can see that when there is no illumination, the internal
temperature of the walls will increase at first then decrease. It is because that the
thermal regulator will increase the internal temperature at first but after some time
the temperature will drop due to the conduction happen. Some heat is transfer to the
external surface of the wall. The amount of the heat transferred will be depend on the
thermal conductivity and thus increase the external temperature.
9. For the part with illumination, we can see that only the internal temperature of the
ordinary glass will has great increase in temperature due to the illumination. All

i)

ii)
iii)
iv)

other materials internal temperature will not increase much. This proved that the
ordinary glass had the higher thermal conductivity.
10. In order to improve the accuracy of the result, several points need to be given more
attention:
After set up the thermocouple, it should be left for a few minutes to let it return to the
same temperature with room temperature. If we direct start the experiment, the
thermocouple may still be affect by our body temperature.
The experiment should be carried out in a isolated room as the heat transfer by the
human body and the outside temperature will affect the result.
The area between the illumination lamp and the walls should be vacuumed so that
the heat will be directly on the walls.
All thermocouple should be rest until it return to the room temperature before
another part of the experiment is carried out so that the result will be accurate.

Conclusion
The material with the highest thermal conductivity is the ordinary glass and the lowest is
the insulating glass window. The higher the thermal conductivity, the higher the ability of
the material to transfer the heat.