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Heat Penetration Calculator

Using the Heat Penetration Calculator, one can easily determine the distance at which heat from any heat source, like a thermal conductivity sensor, dissipates into a sample. Calculating the penetration of a heat signal from sensor, is key to understanding how much of your sample is included in your measured thermal conductivity result. For “true” thermal conductivity, heat penetration should be maximized.

Penetration depth increase with increase of test time.

Penetration depth increase with increase of test time.

To calculate how much time is required for heat to dissipate into your sample, enter your sample’s thermal diffusivity or select a similar material from our 1000+ material database.

Penetration Depth

\[ D=k \sqrt{at} \]

Sample Thickness: mm
a = Thermal Diffusivity: (mm 2/s) or
t = Time: seconds or
D = Penetration Depth: mm
% of Sample Penetration Depth: %

*Note: “k” (temperature recording sensitivity constant), may vary with choice of method.

Penetration Illustration

References:

  1. ISO (2008). ISO 22007-2 Plastics — Determination of thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity — Part 2: Transient plane heat source (hot disc) method.
  2. Faghri, A., Zhang, Y., and Howell, J. R., 2010, Advanced Heat and Mass Transfer, Global Digital Press, Columbia, MO.
  3. Shahi, M., Kok, J. B. W., Casado, J. C. R., and Pozarlik, A. K. 2014. Study of unsteady heat transfer as a hey parameter to characterize limit cycle of high amplitude pressure oscillations. Proceedings of ASME Turbo Expo 2014: Turbine Technical Conference and Exposition GT2014.
  4. Faghri, A., and Zhang, Y. (2006). Transport phenomena in multiphase systems. Academic Press.
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