THOMPSON’S CALORIMETER

INTRODUCTION:
Calorimetry is a process of measuring the amount of heat involved in a chemical reaction
or other process. In this experiment, I used thermometer to see if the chemicals is gaining or
losing heat energy.A calorimeter is a device used for calorimetry .Also calorimetry is the science
of measuring the heat generated or absorbed in a chemical reaction or physical process.The word
Calorimeter comes from the Latin calor meaning heat, and from the Greek metry meaning to
measure.

When the hydrocarbon fuel is being combusted under specified condition, there
are amount of heat released that is known as calorific value. The calorific value (CV) or
heating value (HV) of the hydrocarbon fuel is depends on the composition of the gas. There
are two types of calorific value of hydrocarbon fuel. It can be classified as,
1) Gross or Higher CV (HHV or HCV) - can be classified when
t h e c o m b u s t i o n p r o d u c t , Water is in liquid form where there are Water vapor in
flue gasses.

2) Net or lower CV (LHV or LCV) - can be classified when the

combustion product, water is in vapor form where during its phase changing to vapor,
there are difference between HCV and the latent heat.
Apparatus & Substances
o Coal -2g
o Potassium Nitrate ( KNO 3 ) - 6.5 g
o Potassium Chlorate ( KClO 3 ) - 19.5 g
o Nitrate Paper
o Thompson Calorimeter
o Furnace tube
o Thermometer (Digital)
o Stop Watch
o Digital Scale
o Measuring Cylinder
o Water 2000 ml

Procedure

1. First a sample of given coal was powdered and 2 grams were measured.
2. Measured 6.5g of Potassium Nitrate and 19.5g of Potassium Chlorate
3. Measured coal sample was mixed with Potassium Nitrate (KNO3) and Potassium Chlorate
(KClO3).
4. All three samples were thoroughly mixed and packed into the furnace tube along with a piece of
nitrate paper.
5. 2000 ml of water and a thermometer was placed in the measuring cylinder and the temperature
was noted
6. The nitrate paper fuse was ignited; cover with the stopcock closed fixed and quickly lowered into
the water
7. Thermometer readings were taken every half a minute until the temperature drops by several
degrees.
8. When the bubbles stop indicating the stopping of combustion, the stopcock was opened. Then
the water was stirred by moving the calorimeter up and down and the temperature was measured.
 Thompson’s Calorimeter

Stopcock

Tube

Cover

Nitrate
paper

Mixture Furnace
Tube
Theory:

The heating value or The calorific value of a substance usually a fuel is the amount of
energy released during the combustion of a specified amount of it calorific value is a
characteristic of a substance usually the mass such as (Kcal/Kg),(KJ/Kg),(J/mol),etc.
Calorific value is commonly determined by using a calorimeter by measuring the increase of
the calorimeter’s temperature during the combustion of a substance the amount of heat
generated can be calculate.

Energy released by(m)g of fuel = QKJ

Mass of water = mw
Mass of water = mc
Specific heat of water = Sw
Specific heat of calorimeter = Sc

Q = (mw* Sw + mc* Sc)*∆ Ѳ

Calorific value of fuel = (Q/m)*1000 KJ/Kg

=( mw* Sw + mc* Sc) * ∆ Ѳ*1000/m KJ/Kg

∆Ѳ = Tmax -Tmin

Tmax-Mean value of the max temperature observed in experiment

Tmin-Initial temperature

Oxygen has to be supplied for the proper combustion of solid fuel inside the calorimeter.so the
reqired O2 will be obtained by the reaction of chemicals KNO3 and KCLO3 reaction of KNO3
during heating is an “Exothermic reaction” that means it released heat to the surroundings.

KNO3(aq) KNO2(aq) + O2(g) + Heat ∆H1 < 0

KCLO3(aq) + Heat KCLO2(aq) + O2(g) ∆H2 > 0

∴ ∆H1- ∆H2 = 0

Then coal burning reaction is:

C (Coal) + O2 CO2 + Heat ; ∆H < 0

Heat released by coal = Heat absorbed by the calorimeter + Heat absorbed by the water
DISCUSSION:

Calorific value means the total amount of heat energy released when 1kg of fuel is completely
burnt. Units of calorific value are J/kg or cal/kg. In this practical, we are going to determine the
calorific value of the coal. Coal is primarily used as a solid fuel to produce electricity and heat
through combustion. Coal is the largest source of energy for the generation of electricity
worldwide, as well as one of the largest worldwide anthropogenic source of carbon dioxide
releases.

Methods used in correcting heat losses.

There are mainly three types that heat can be lost,

 Conduction
 Convention
 Radiation
1. Heat loss due to convection can be minimized by covering the top of the apparatus.
2. Heat loss due to conduction can be reduced by using an insulating material as polystyrene
or wood to cover the measuring cylinder.
3. We can start the practical (combustion) just below the surrounding temperature and stop
the practical just above the surrounding temperature by the same amount to ensure the heat
absorbed by the system is equal to the heat released by the system. Hence total heat loss
would be negligible.
4. Heat loss due to radiation can be minimized by keeping the outer surfaces of the
calorimeter and the measuring cylinder smooth and polished.

Dickinson method of correcting for radiation losses.

The Dickinson method of correction for radiation is prescribed by the ASTM. The rate of
temperature change in degree per minute is determined over a 5 min. period just before ignition
and again after ignition when the maximum temperature has been reached. The time of ignition
(time a), the temperature at ignition, the thermometer reading taken when the temperature change
has become uniform after attaining a maximum and the time at this maximum temperature (time
c) are recorded. Time b is defined as the time at which six-tenths of the temperature rise from a to
c has taken place. The ignition temperature is then corrected by adding (b-a).r1, where r1 is the
rate in degrees per minute at which the temperature was rising before ignition. The final
temperature is corrected by adding (c-b).r2, where r2 is the rate of temperature decrease after the
maximum was reached. The temperature rise used for calculating the energy liberated is the
difference between the corrected ignition and final temperatures.

Temperature Rise
t = tc – ta – r1(b – a) – r2(c – b)
where ,
t = corrected temperature rise
ta = temperature at time of firing
tc = temperature at time, c
r1 = rate (temperature units per min.) at which temperature was rising during 5 min period before
firing.
r2 = rate (temperature units per min.) at which temperature was falling during the 5 min period
after time, c.

Temperature at time b, tb = ta + 0.6 (tc – ta)

The reactions of Potassium Nitrate and Potassium Chlorate.

Burning of nitrates and chlorates both release O2 which is essential for burning of coal.
But when KNO3 burns it release heat to the system (Exothermic) and when KClO3 burns it absorb
heat from the surrounding (Endothermic). The ratio of nitrate and chlorate is exactly balanced such
that the heat rejected from the exothermic reaction is equals to endothermic reaction. Therefore
the heat releases of secondary reactions will not affect to the practical.

KNO3(aq) KNO2(aq) + O2(g) + Heat ∆H1 < 0

KCLO3(aq) + Heat KCLO2(aq) + O2(g) ∆H2 > 0

∴ ∆H1- ∆H2 = 0

Exothermic reaction-A chemical reaction that releases energy by light or heat.

Expressed as, reactants → products + energy

Expected Calorific value of coal.

The expected calorific value of coal is between 15 – 32 MJkg-1 at 25 0C. This value depends on the
impurities in the coal sample. The coal samples taken from different mines contains different calorific
values due to the variance of the impurities. The calorific value also depends on the temperature.
The difference may due to:

1. The coal may not be fully burned

2. Chemicals used may have been contaminated with other impurities
3. Errors caused in measuring time or temperature.
4. Heat losses during the experiment
5. The heat released by the combustion might not have spread uniformly within the water casing errors
in reading temperature.

Other methods available for finding the calorific value of solid fuels.

 Bomb Calorimeter.
 Marcel’s Boiler.
 Separation & Throttling.
 Boy’s Calorimeter.