This research investigates the core materials used to create vacuum insulation panels. Of particular interest to the investigators was the thermal conductivity of the initial materials (usually powders) under different pressures. The researchers designed their own powder sample cell holder. The powders tested were low density silica powders, and using the sample set up the team was able to test them along a pressure range from atmospheric pressure to 0.1mbar. ...
Composites made from a combination of cis-polyisoprene (CPI) and nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) were investigated to determine the effect of varying proportions of each additive on the mechanical and thermal properties of the final product. The use of a scanning electron microscope to quantify the structure of the material revealed that all samples were homogenous. Young's modulus and tensile strength were two of the mechanical properties studied. The blend composition ...
The thermal conductivity and specific heat of seven different polyurethane foams and their melts were investigated using the Transient Plane Source. The thermal conductivity of the foams themselves ranged between 0.048 and 0.050 W/mK, while the thermal conductivity of the melt product was 0.186 to 0.200 W/mK, a difference of 300%. Melting had the opposite effect on the specific heat of the samples, which dropped 20% from a range of 2359 to 2996 J/kgK to 1958 ...
The Transient Plane Source was used to measure the thermal conductivity of three commonly used building materials in Libya. Changes in construction practices have resulted in houses being constructed of much thinner materials in comparison to the traditionally thick walls common a few decades ago. Technical data that would make modelling heat flow is these newly constructed buildings is lacking. The indoor environment of these newer buildings often undergoes large ...
This conference paper describes extensive investigations performed on sediment cores containing methane hydrates recovered from beneath the sea floor. Great care was taken to perform thermal conductivity measurements at similar temperature and pressure to the natural conditions that these hydrates develop and are deposited in. Measurements were taken with the samples under both water saturated and gas saturated conditions. Thermal conductivity values obtained from both conditions at temperatures over the ...
