Thermal property measurement

Guarded hot plate apparatus: liquid sample

Measurement of thermal conductivity of liquids (and gases) is difficult because it is necessary to make sure that the liquid is stationary. In the presence of temperature variations and in the presence of gravity the liquid will start moving around due to natural convection. There are two ways of immobilizing the fluid:
a) Use a thin layer of the fluid in the direction of temperature gradient so that the Grash of number is very small and the regime is conduction dominant b) Set up the temperature field in the fluid such that the hot part is above the cold part and hence the layer is in the stable configuration.

Radial heat conduction apparatus for liquids and gases:

Another apparatus suitable for the measurement of thermal conductivity of fluids (liquids and gases) is one that uses radial flow of heat through a very thin layer of liquid or gas.

Calorimetric
Calorific or heating value of a fuel is one of the most important properties of a fuel that needs to be measured before the fuel can be considered for a specific application. The fuel may be in the liquid, gaseous or solid form. The measurement of heating value is normally by calorimetry. While a continuous flow calorimeter is useful for the measurement of heating values of liquid and gaseous fuels. Bomb calorimeter is used for the measurement of heating value of a solid fuel.

The Bomb calorimeter

Continuous flow calorimeter