Ex.No.

5
DETERMINATION OF THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY OF AN INSULATOR USING
LEES DISC APPARATUS
AIM
To determine the coefficient of thermal conductivity of a bad conductor using Lees Disc
method.
MATERIALS REQUIRED
Lees disc apparatus, stop clock, steam boiler, thermometer, sample, screw gauge,
Vernier caliper, electronic balance
THEORY
Thermal conductivity of a material is the rate of heat flowing through the material per unit
cross section area under unit temperature gradient along the direction of flow.
Q1

T
=k

A
where Q1

-------------- (1)
x

quantity of heat (W)

cross section area

thermal conductivity (W/m-K)

temperature gradient (K)

thickness of slab (m)

Consider a circular slab enclosed between steam chamber A and a brass disc B as
shown in Fig.1. When steam is passed through the steam chamber, a quantity of heat is passed
through the slab to the lower metallic disc B. When steady state is reached, let T1 and T2 be the
temperatures of the steam chamber A and brass disc B. So the temperature difference between
the 2 ends of the slab is (T 1 T2) taken as T. Then, heat conducted through the slab is
calculated using (1).
The rate of heat lost by the brass disc to the surrounding under steady state is
dT
Q2 = m x

--------------- (2)
dt

where Q2

heat lost (W)

mass of brass disc (kg)

dT/dt -

rate of cooling at T2 (K/s)

T2

From equation (1) and (2),

mc x (dT/dt) T2
k = ------------------A (T1 T2)
Specific heat capacity of the material of brass disc (c) is 510 J/kg-K
By measuring (dT/dt)T2 and (T1 T2) using Lees apparatus, the thermal conductivity k
can be determined.
PROCEDURE

Measure the mass of brass disc and take the weight as m (kg).
Measure diameter of sample slab using Vernier caliper and calculate its cross section

area A (m2).
Measure thickness of the sample slab as x (m).
Arrange steam chamber A, sample slab and brass disc B as shown in Fig.1. Insert
thermometers in the grooves of steam chamber and brass disc which measures

temperature T1 (K) and T2 (K) respectively.

Start the heater so that steam passes through the steam chamber.
Monitor the temperatures T1 (K) and T2 (K) at regular intervals till they reach the steady

state. Note the steady state temperatures T1 (K) and T2 (K).

To determine rate of cooling of brass disc, lift the steam chamber and remove sample

slab, then place the steam chamber directly on brass disc B.

Allow the brass disc B to heat atleast about 10 oC above the steady state temperature T2

measured earlier. Remove the steam chamber.

Start stop watch when the temperature is 5 oC above steady state temperature and
measure the temperature of brass disc B at an interval of 30 s as it cools down. Allow

the brass disc to cool down to 5oC below steady state temperature.
Plot a graph between temperature T in oC of brass disc (along y axis) and time t in s
(along x axis). Draw tangential line to the curve corresponding to temperature T2 and

determine the slope (dT/dt)T2.

Calculate thermal conductivity using equation (3) by multiplying a correction factor.
Cf = (r + 2h) / (2r + 2h)
where r and h are the radius and thickness of the brass disc.
The correction factor should be included as cooling measurement was not exactly the

same environment of steady state measurement.

TABULATION
Time (t)

Temperature (T)

Time (t)

Temperature (T)

CALCULATION
Mass of disc (M)

= --------------- kg

RESULT
The coefficient of thermal conductivity of the given sample slab is -------------- W/m-K