The general theory of the transient plane source (TPS) technique is outlined in some details with approximations for the two experimental arrangements that may be referred to as ‘‘hot square’’ and ‘‘hot disk.’’ Experimental arrangements and measurements on two materials, Cecorite 130P and Corning 9606 Pyroceram, using a hot disk configuration, are reported and assessed.

Transient measurements of thermal conductivity, thermal diffusivity, and specific heat capacity have been performed with hot disk sensors in thin samples of metallic materials. With this new variation of the hot disk method the sample size can be reduced to a volume less than ten cubic centimeters for copper at room temperature. It is also shown that the specific heat capacity can be conveniently measured in transient recordings of slightly longer duration. On comparing with standard values the accuracy turns out to be better than 1% while the precision (standard deviation of the mean from six measurements) on the average is about 0.5% for all values recorded.

A transient hot-strip method has been developed for use with solids and fluids with low electrical conductivity. The hot strip (thin metal foil) is used both as a constant plane heat source and a sensor of the temperature increase. The accuracy of the method is so good that it might even be used for the measurement of the specific heat especially under difficult experimental conditions when the standard methods cannot be used or would be very inconvenient. This method has been tested in measurements on fused quartz, glycerine and Araldite at room temperature. The experimental conditions that cause deviations from the mathematical solution of the thermal conductivity equation are discussed and estimates for their maximum influence on the measured quantities are given.

The electrical circuit for the recently developed transient plane source (TPS) technique for fast and precise measurements of thermal tramport properties of solids has been modified for more convenient 8nd more automated measurements. The technique has been tested for measurements of thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity for a series of building materials ranging from thermally insulating materials (extruded polystyrene and PMMA) to good thermal conductors (stainless steel and aluminium). The results obtained in this work agree well with other techniques and international standrrrd materials This agreement indicates that the TPS method is accurate to within f 5% over a thermal conductivity range of four orders of magnitude (0.02 W m K to 2QO W m K I).

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