Heat Transfer Formulae for Charcoal-Concrete Experiment

Click For Summary
SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the heat transfer calculations in a charcoal-concrete experiment using thermocouples to measure temperature at various points. The initial approach of using the formula Q=mcΔT was deemed unsuitable due to illogical results when comparing different temperature sets. Participants suggest exploring alternative heat transfer formulas and recommend using Finite Element Analysis for a more accurate solution. Additionally, the book "Fundamentals of Heat and Mass Transfer" by Incropera is highlighted as a valuable resource for understanding various heat transfer scenarios.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of thermocouple temperature measurement techniques
  • Knowledge of heat transfer principles, specifically conduction and convection
  • Familiarity with the Q=mcΔT formula and its limitations
  • Basic concepts of Finite Element Analysis (FEA)
NEXT STEPS
  • Research alternative heat transfer formulas applicable to solid materials
  • Learn about Finite Element Analysis (FEA) software tools for thermal simulations
  • Study the "Fundamentals of Heat and Mass Transfer" by Incropera for practical examples
  • Investigate the principles of thermal conductivity in concrete and charcoal
USEFUL FOR

This discussion is beneficial for experimental physicists, materials scientists, and engineers involved in thermal analysis and heat transfer experiments, particularly those working with concrete and combustion materials.

ahbin98
Messages
5
Reaction score
0
TL;DR
I am doing my final year project regarding how well can concrete block absorb heat and trap the thermal energy within itself and save it for later use which is thermal energy storage.
My experiment procedure is that I am using burning charcoal as the heat source, and there are three thermocouples used, first one measuring the temperature of the charcoal, second one measuring the inner temperature of the concrete block, third thermocouple is placed on the top part which is furthest from the heat source.

WhatsApp Image 2021-05-30 at 6.36.42 PM.jpeg


Now I've obtained the experiment data, but I can't figure out which formulae should I use to process the data, at first I thought using the Q=mcΔT is ok, but in the end I realized that is not a suitable equation for me to use. I am searching for a formulae which allows me to calculate the heat transfer from charcoal to the internal part of the concrete, and the heat transfer from the internal part of the concrete to the top surface part of the concrete.
If I use Q=mcΔT, let's assume, the charcoal have a temperature of 700°C (T0), the internal of concrete have a temperature of 50°C (T1), compared to another set of data, where charcoal have a temperature of 700°C (T0), and internal of concrete have a temperature of 100°C (T1). If these 2 sets of data applied to the formulae Q=mcΔT, the first set will have greater heat coefficient since T0-T1 is greater than the second set of T0-T1, which seems illogical since the second set should have greater heat coefficient as the temperature of the internal part of the concrete rise higher. This makes me think I am using the wrong formulae, are there any other formulae suitable for my experimental data? Please send helps and thank you.
 
Engineering news on Phys.org
Have you considered using Finite Element Analysis to get a solution of this problem and compare the results with experiment ?

For formulas check the "Fundamentals of Heat and Mass Transfer" by Incropera. It covers lots of different cases with practical examples.
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: berkeman

Similar threads

  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
2K
Replies
15
Views
3K
  • · Replies 10 ·
Replies
10
Views
3K
  • · Replies 15 ·
Replies
15
Views
4K
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
2K
Replies
7
Views
1K
  • · Replies 34 ·
2
Replies
34
Views
6K
  • · Replies 27 ·
Replies
27
Views
7K
Replies
10
Views
3K
Replies
3
Views
3K