Undergraduate Heat Transfer Experiment: Measurement Of Thermal Conductivity Of Liquids And Gases

Determining physical properties of substances is an important subject in many advanced engineering applications. Physical properties of liquids and gases, such as thermal conductivity, play an important role in the design of a wide variety of engineering applications such as heat exchangers. This paper describes an undergraduate junior-level heat transfer experiment designed for students to determine the thermal conductivity of liquids and gases. Details of the experimental apparatus, testing procedure, data reduction, and sample results are presented. One of the objectives of this experiment is to strengthen and reinforce some of the heat transfer concepts, such as conduction, covered in the classroom lectures. The experimental setup is simple, the procedure is straightforward, and students’ feedback is very positive.