Experiment No.

Heat Conduction Through Composite Slab

Aim: To determine the overall thermal conductivity and the temperature distribution in a
composite slab made up of different materials.

Apparatus Used:

● Composite slab apparatus: A setup comprising a heater, multiple test slabs (Mild
Steel, Bakelite, Wood), and cooling elements, used to study one-dimensional heat
conduction under steady-state conditions.
● Heater: Electrically powered flat heater that provides a consistent thermal source to
the slab system.
● Thermocouples: Temperature sensors embedded at various points to record
temperature gradients across each slab layer.
● Voltmeter and Ammeter: Instruments used to measure the voltage supplied and the
current drawn by the heater circuit.
● Insulated guard heaters: These surround the main slab assembly to minimize radial
heat loss and promote one-dimensional heat flow.

Chapter 1: Introduction
Heat conduction is one of the primary modes of heat transfer and occurs when there is a
temperature gradient in a solid medium. In many practical engineering applications, heat
flows through a structure composed of more than one material, known as a composite slab.
The heat transfer in such systems is influenced by the thermal conductivities of the individual
materials and the contact resistance between them.

The objective of this experiment is to study steady-state heat conduction through a

composite wall and to calculate the thermal conductivity of each material layer.

Chapter 2: Theory
2.0 Thermal Resistance and Electrical Analogy

Thermal resistance in heat conduction is analogous to electrical resistance in an electric

circuit. Just like Ohm’s Law relates voltage (V), current (I), and resistance (R) as:

V=I×R

In thermal systems, heat flow (Q) is equivalent to current, temperature difference (ΔT) to
voltage, and thermal resistance (Rₜₕ) to electrical resistance. The analogous relation is:

Q = ΔT / Rₜₕ

Where:

● Q = Heat transfer rate (W)

● ΔT = Temperature difference across the slab (K or °C)
● Rₜₕ = Thermal resistance (K/W or °C/W)

For a solid slab, the thermal resistance is given by:

Rₜₕ = L / (k × A)

Where:

● L = Thickness of the material (m)

● k = Thermal conductivity (W/m·K)
● A = Cross-sectional area perpendicular to the heat flow (m²)

For multiple layers in series, the total thermal resistance is the sum of individual resistances:

R_total = R₁ + R₂ + R₃ + ... + Rₙ

This analogy helps visualize heat flow using the same principles used in analyzing electrical
circuits.

2.1 Fourier's Law of Heat Conduction:

The rate of heat transfer through a slab is given by:

(2.1)

Where:

● : Heat transfer rate (W)

● : Thermal conductivity (W/m·K)
● : Cross-sectional area (m²)
● : Temperature gradient (K/m)

2.2 Overall Heat Transfer in Composite Wall:

For slabs connected in series, the total resistance is:

(2.2)

And total heat transfer:

(2.3)

Where:

● : Thickness of i-th layer (m)

● : Thermal conductivity of i-th layer (W/mK)
● : Temperatures at hot and cold ends respectively (K)

Chapter 3: Experimental Setup

The experiment employs a variable auto transformer to regulate the voltage supplied to the
heater. By adjusting this input voltage, the current drawn by the heater also varies
accordingly. These electrical parameters are monitored using a voltmeter and an ammeter,
which are connected to the circuit to accurately record the voltage applied and the current
consumed during each test condition.
The apparatus consists of a composite wall made up of three slabs of different materials
(Mild Steel, Bakelite, and Wood) sandwiched between a heater and a cooling unit.
Thermocouples are embedded at the interfaces and surfaces to record the steady-state
temperatures. Guard heaters are used on the sides to ensure one-dimensional heat flow.

Chapter 4: Experimental Procedure

1. Arrange plates in proper symmetrical fashion on both sides of heater plates.
2. Operate hand press properly to ensure perfect contact between plates.
3. Close box by cover sheet to achieve steady environment conditions.
4. Start supply of heater. By varying auto transformer, adjust input at desired value.
5. Take readings of all thermocouples at interval of 10 minutes until fairly steady
temperature is achieved and rate of rise is negligible.
6. Note down readings in observation table.

Chapter 5: Observations
Wall diameter: 200 mm
Wall thicknesses: Mild Steel = 25 mm, Bakelite = 19 mm, Wood = 12 mm

Observation Table:

Readings Set I Set II

1. Voltmeter (V) 50 60

2. Ammeter (A) 0.35 0.42

Temperature
(°C)

T1 41 50

T2 41 50

T3 40 49

T4 40 49
 T5 35 41

T6 35 41

T7 33 37

T8 33 37

S.No. Slab No. Material Thickness (m) Area (m²)

1 1 Mild Steel 0.025 31.4 ×

10⁻³

2 2 Bakelite 0.019 31.4 ×

10⁻³

3 3 Wood 0.012 31.4 ×

10⁻³

Chapter 6: Calculations
1. Mean Temperatures

a) Wood Plate Temperature (T_W): T_W = (T₇ + T₈) / 2 °C = (33 + 33)/2 = 33°C (Set I), (37
+ 37)/2 = 37°C (Set II)

b) Bakelite Plate Temperature (T_B): T_B = (T₅ + T₆) / 2 °C = (35 + 35)/2 = 35°C (Set I), (41
+ 41)/2 = 41°C (Set II)

c) Mild Plate Temperature (T_M): T_M = (T₃ + T₄) / 2 °C = (40 + 40)/2 = 40°C (Set I), (49 +
49)/2 = 49°C (Set II)

d) Heater Plate Temperature (T_H): T_H = (T₁ + T₂) / 2 °C = (41 + 41)/2 = 41°C (Set I), (50
+ 50)/2 = 50°C (Set II)

2. Heat Supplied (Q) Q = (V × I) / 2 —— (Watt), for symmetry heat supplied to a single

side is half of the total heat input.
Where, V = Supplied Voltmeter reading (V) I = Supplied Ammeter reading (A)

Set 1

Temperature difference:

T_H = 41°C

T_W = 33°C

Heat input:

Q = V × I = 50 × 0.35 = 17.5 W

Heat conducted through one side (assuming symmetry):

Q = 8.75 W

Cross-sectional area:

A = π/4 × (0.2)^2 = 31.4 × 10⁻³ m²

Temperature difference:

ΔT = 8°C

Thermal resistance:

R = ΔT / Q = 8 / 8.75 = 0.914 °C/W

Overall slab thickness:

t = 0.056 m

Thermal conductivity:

k = (Q × t) / (A × ΔT) = (8.75 × 0.056) / (31.4 × 10 ⁻³ × 8) = 1.9505 W/m·K

Set 2

Temperature difference:

T_H = 50°C

T_W = 37°C
Heat input:

Q = V × I = 60 × 0.42 = 25.2 W

Heat conducted through one side:

Q = 12.6 W

Temperature difference:

ΔT = 13°C

Thermal resistance:

R = ΔT / Q = 13 / 12.6 = 1.03 °C/W

Overall slab thickness:

t = 0.056 m

Cross-sectional area:

A = 31.4 × 10⁻³ m²

Thermal conductivity:

k = (Q × t) / (A × ΔT) = (12.6 × 0.056) / (31.4 × 10 ⁻³ × 13) = 1.72 W/m·K

Chapter 7: Results
● Heat Transfer Rate (Q): 8.75 W (Set I), 12.6 W (Set II)
● Overall Thermal Conductivity (k_eff): 1.9505 W/mK (Set I), 1.72 W/mK (Set II)

Chapter 8: Precautions
● Keep auto transformer to zero before start.
● Increase voltage slowly.
● Keep all assembly undisturbed.
● Remove air gap between plates by moving hand press gently.
● While removing plates, do not disturb thermocouples.
● Operate selector switch of temperature indicator gently.

Chapter 9: Conclusion
We see that on increasing the voltage and current, heat generated increases due to
increased power supply.
For steady-state conduction, the heat transfer rate (Q) is proportional to the temperature
gradient in a material.
Due to increased voltage and current, Set II has a higher temperature gradient compared to
Set I.
Since heat transfer rate is identical in both directions and conduction of materials (thickness
etc.) are same in both directions, temperature gradient remains the same.