INTERNATIONAL ISLAMIC

UNIVERSITY MALAYSIA

KULLIYYAH OF ENGINEERING
DEPARTMENT OF MECHATRONICS
ENGINEERING
EXPERIMENT #3
HEAT INSULATION/CONDUCTION
SECTION: 2
EXPERIMENTERS:

Diyan ul imaan
(0718251)
Aymen
Ahmad Murgab
DATE OF EXPERIMENT

DATE OF SUBMISSION:

MATRIC NO.

5.1 OBJECTIVE
1. To determine the measurement and interpretation of water temperatures during the
heating up and during temporary external illumination of the walls.
2. To determine the heat conductivities of wood and Styropor.
3. To determine the k values of ordinary glass and insulating glass windows and of
wooden walls of different thickness, and of walls with wood, Styropor or cavity
layers.
5.2 INTRODUCTION
Basically, energy can be transferred to or from a closed system ( a fixed mass) in two
distinct forms: heat and work. For heat, there are 3 ways it can be transfered which are by
conduction, convection and radiation. For this experiment, we are analyzing heat transfer by
conduction. Conduction is the transfer of energy from the more energetic particles of a
substance to the adjacent less energetic ones as a result of interactions between the particles.
This kind of heat transfer can take place in solids, liquids and gas. This experiment is
focusing on the transfer in gas and solids like wood of different thickness, Styrofoam, and
glass. We are going to find the relationship between heat conductivity and the materials of
the solid and the thickness of the solids. Different materials have different conductivity
properties.
For this experiment, there are 2 heat sources, one is the thermal regulator and another
is the filament lamp. We will raise the temperature inside the high insulation house until the
steady state which needs about 70 minutes to achieve. During the heating up period, the
temperature inside and outside the house is measured. After the steady state is achieved and
recorded the necessary data, we will be able to calculate:
i)
ii)
iii)

Air-wall heat transfer

Wall-air heat transmission
Heat conduction in the wall

Using the formulas given, we should be able to get the value of heat transfer
coefficient. We then compared the value of heat transfer coefficient to make a conclusion
which material is the best heat conductor and which material is the best insulator.

5.3 EQUIPMENTS

High insulation house

Thermal regulator
Partitions
Lamp socket
Filament lamp
Thermometer
Thermocouple
Tripod base

Stopwatch

Figure 5.1: Experimental set-up for Heat Insulation / Heat Conduction

Figure 5.2: Heat energy through a wall. Internal and external air and wall temperatures: Li,
La, Wi, Wa

5.4 PROCEDURES
During the heating up phase
5.4.1 Part A
The following walls and windows are used for the first series of measurement: (all
have a panel of 25cm x 25cm)
a.
b.
c.
d.

Wood, dl = 1 cm in thickness
Wood, d2 = 2 cm in thickness
Styropor, d = 2 cm in thickness
Glass, dg = 5mm in thickness

1st 30 minutes
1. Set the thermocouple to the center of the wood, d 2 and Styropor, d. Measure the
inside and outside wall temperature on the wood, d 2 and Styropor, d at room
temperature.
2. Switch on the heater and measure the inside and outside wall temperature on the
wood, d2 and Styropor, d at intervals of about 5 minutes for 30 minutes.
VERIFY THAT THE HEATER IS AT SEGMENT NO 4.
DO NOT SWITCH OFF THE HEATER UNTIL YOU HAVE COMPLETED
THE EXPERIMENT.

5.4.2 Part B
After 30 minutes
1. Illuminate in succession the wooden wall (d=2cm), with the 150W incandescent
lamp from a distance of about 15cm.
2. Give the new setup to rest and stabilize for 5 minutes before starting the readout.
3. Record the temperature of inside wall, outside wall and internal temperature
every 1 minute for the duration of 5 minutes.
4. Repeat the same procedures for wooden wall (d=1cm), Styropor and glass.
5.4.3 Part C
After 70 minutes
1. After about 70 min heating time (steady state), measure the inside and outside
wall temperatures of the Styropor wall over a period of about 5 minutes for each
minute after the given the heating time of 5 minutes after setup is done.
2. By using the free thermocouple to measure the interior temperature and external
air temperature.

3. Each measurement is for 5 minutes. (1 minute, 1 reading).

4. Repeat each measurement for wooden wall (d=1cm), (d=2cm), and glass.

Thermometer connected with two thermocouples

5.5 RESULT
Part A: 1st 30 minutes
Time(min)
R. Temp
5
10
15
20
25
30

Temperature

Wi

28.9
32.0
35.8
38.7
40.9
42.8
43.8

Wa

31.5
29.6
29.9
30.6
31.3
32.0
32.7
Table 5.1

styi

28.9
34.5
40.3
44.0
45.5
49.1
49.3

styo

31.1
29.8
30.8
31.3
31.9
32.4
32.3

Part B: After 30 minutes

Make sure you give the setup a rest of 5 minutes before taking the
reading.
Wooden wall (2 cm)
Time (min)
1
2
3
4
5

Temperature

Wi

37.4
37.9
38.6
39.5
40.5

Wa

58.0
64.0
67.1
69.7
71.1
Table 5.2

Li
37.7
37.8
38.0
38.2
38.3

Wooden wall (1 cm)

Time (min)
1
2
3
4
5

Temperature

Wi

38.1
40.1
42.7
44.6
47.5

Wa

56.5
60.1
64.8
66.5
69.1
Table 5.3

Li
38.4
39.5
40.9
42.2
43.4

Styropor (2 cm)
Time (min)

Temperature

Wi

1
2
3
4
5

44.3
48.0
50.2
50.8
51.4

Wa

73.4
82.7
86.0
87.5
87.7
Table 5.4

Li
42.8
44.3
45.7
46.9
48.1

Glass (5mm)
Time (min)
1
2
3
4
5

Temperature

Wi

47.9
52.3
56.0
59.2
62.3

Wa

50.5
54.5
57.3
60.5
61.9
Table 5.5

Li
45.5
47.9
49.5
50.6
50.9

Par t C : After 70 minutes

Wooden Wall (2cm)

Time(min)
1
2
3
4
5
Ave

Wi

41.1
41.7
42.3
42.8
43.4
42.3

Temperature
Li
Wa
33.9
43.4
34.0
45.3
33.9
46.6
33.8
47.8
33.7
48.7
33.9
46.4
Table 5.6

La
29.3
29.4
29.1
29.6
29.5
29.4

Wooden Wall (1cm)

Time(min)
1
2
3
4
5
Ave

Wi

40.0
40.5
41.1
41.8
42.2
41.1

Temperature
Li
42.4
43.3
44.3
45.4
45.9
44.3

Wa

34.8
34.6
34.6
34.7
34.8
34.7

La
29.5
29.4
29.3
29.5
29.5
29.4

Table 5.7
Styropor
Time(min)
1
2
3
4
5
Ave

Wi

42.7
44.0
45.4
46.6
47.8
45.3

Temperature
Li
Wa
32.1
42.5
32.2
43.5
32.4
44.5
32.4
45.4
32.5
46.2
32.3
44.4
Table 5.8

La
29.5
29.2
29.2
29.2
29.2
29.3

Temperature
Li
Wa
42.0
42.8
41.2
43.2
40.7
43.8
40.3
44.4
39.9
45.1
40.8
43.9
Table 5.9

La
30.5
30.4
30.3
30.2
30.1
30.3

Glass
Time(min)
1
2
3
4
5
Ave

Wi

44.6
44.6
44.9
45.3
45.8
45.0

5.6 Calculation
Calculation for steady state after 70 minutes
1. Air-wall heat transfer (internal)
P i . A.( Li wi )

A =( 25 10-2) (25 10-2) m2 = 0.0625 m2

a) For wooden wall (2cm)
P = 8.1W/Km2 (0.0625m2) (305.43 - 319.71)K
= 2.07563 W
b) For wooden wall (1cm)
P = 8.1W/Km2 (0.0625m2) (303.65 - 317.39)K
= 1.62 W
c) For styropor
P = 8.1W/Km2 (0.0625m2) (305.87 - 323.13)K
= 0.45563 W
d) For glass
P = 8.1W/Km2 (0.0625m2) (303.91 - 321.03)K
= 0.556875 W
2. Wall- air heat transmission (external)
P a . A.( wa La )

a) For wooden wall (2cm)

P = 8.1W/Km2 (0.0625m2) (308.85 - 302.29)K
= 2.278135 W
b) For wooden wall (1cm)
P = 8.1W/Km2 (0.0625m2) (309.39 - 301.97)K
= 2.683125 W
c) For styropor
P = 8.1W/Km2 (0.0625m2) (306.43 - 302.09)K

= 1.51875 W
d) For glass
P = 8.1W/Km2 (0.0625m2) (317.27 - 302.25)K
= 5.315625 W
3. Heat conduction in the wall,

p.d
A.( wi wa )

a) For wooden wall (2cm)

= (7.22925 + 3.321)W (0.02)
0.0625 (319.71 - 308.85)
= 0.16585

b) For wooden wall (1cm)

= (7.806375 + 3.756375)W (0.02)m
0.0625 (317.39 - 309.39)
= 0.107578
c) For styropor
= (8.737875 + 2.197125)W (0.02)m
0.0625 (323.13 - 306.43)
= 0.048600123

d) For glass
= (8.667 + 7.603875)W (0.02)m
0.0625 (321.03 - 317.27)
= 0.111855238
4. Heat Transition coefficient, k value

1 1 1 1

k i a

a) For wooden wall (2cm)

1/k = 1/8.1 + 1/ 0.310872928 +1/8.1
k = 4.073689 W/Km2
b) For wooden wall (1cm)
1/k = 1/8.1 + 1/ 0.231255+1/8.1
k = 4.6208054 W/Km2
c) For styropor
1/k = 1/8.1 + 1/ 0.209532934 + 1/8.1
k = 2.092058W/Km2
d) For glass
1/k = 1/8.1 + 1/ 3.456358125 + 1/8.1
k = 6.9088236 W/Km2

Discussion
In comparing Pi, Air-wall heat transfer (internal), we found that the highest value of Pi
(internal) is obtained by wooden wall 2cm which is 2.07563W, followed by wooden wall
1cm, 1.62W, glass, 0.556875 W, and styropor, 0.45563 W. For Pi, Air-wall heat transfer
(external), glass is the highest which is 5.315625 W, followed by wooden wall 1cm, 2.683125
W, wooden wall 2cm 2.278135 W, and Styropor, 1.51875 W. As for the value of Pa which is
the summation of internal and external power, wooden wall 2cm has the highest value which
is 0.16585. This is followed by glass with value of 0.111855238, wooden wall 1cm with
value 0.107578 and styropor with value 0.048600123.
When comparing for Pa/A, it is found out that similar to the analysis for Pa, glass has the
highest value of Pa/A, followed by wooden wall 1cm. Then Styropor and lastly wooden wall
2cm. When comparing values of k, heat transition coefficient, glass still remains the highest
with value of 6.9088236 W/Km2 , then wooden wall 1cm, 4.6208054 W/Km2, followed by
wooden wall 2cm, 4.073689 W/Km2and Styropor, 2.092058W/Km2. As for , Heat
conduction in the wall, wooden wall 2cm has the highest value, followed by glass , wooden
wall 1cm, and Styropor. These differences occur because each material has its own
properties, and we can see from the above analysis that glass is a good conductor. Also, we
can say that Styropor is a good internal air wall heat transfer medium, and a good external air
wall heat transfer medium is glass.
When the halogen is illuminated, heat will be released from the halogen, so the value of
temperature measured by temperature meter will be higher than when the halogen is not
illuminated, thus the value of Pi (internal and external), will increase. For the value of , it
will decrease as temperature increases because the equation for is inversely proportional to
temperature.
The temperature trend moving from room temperature to the steady state is, for wooden wall
2cm, the temperature of inside wall is increasing from room temperature to the first 30
minutes (part A), and it starts to decrease during the starting time after 30 minutes (part B),
but it increases or stays constant from the starting time to the steady state time. For the
wooden wall 2 cm (outer wall), the temperature increases from part A to part B, and decreases
from part B to the steady state time, and increases during the steady state time. As for
Styrofoam, the temperature increases from part A to part B and starts to decrease from part B
to the steady state part, but increases during the steady state part. Furthermore, for wooden
wall 1cm, the temperature was taken starting from part B, and it kept on increasing during
this part, but from this part to the steady state part, the temperature started to drop, but it
increased and decreased a bit during this steady state part. The same analysis goes for glass.
From the above discussion, we can see that, glass holds for the highest values of Pi, Air-wall
heat transfer (external), , heat conductivity, and k, heat transition coefficient. As for Pi, Airwall heat transfer (internal), the maximum value is obtained by Styrofoam. Therefore, we can
see that overall glass is a good heat transfer material compared to the other materials.

Types of material

wooden wall(2cm)

0.19

wooden wall(1cm)

0.19

Styropor

0.04

Glass

1.4

Percentage error
= 38.43%

= 21.53%

= 423.25%

= 141.65%

This
percentage
error
looks big but
the theoretical values, k, we used are from the book which may differ from what we actually
used in the experiment. These values should have been included in the appendix of the
manual so that the data are compared with the true values of what we had used in the
experiment.
Conclusion
As a conclusion, from the results we obtained from this experiment, we can say that
glass is a good conductor and wood as well as Styrofoam are good insulators. This can
clearly be seen from Table 5 in the results section. As for wood, thickness is a factor in heat
transfer. The thicker the wood, the value of heat conductivity, will be higher.
The errors in the result of this experiment were due to some factors that are; the
cellophane tape was not strong enough to stick the wood to the wall of the insulation house,
which resulted in an inaccurate reading of the temperature. Another factor is that we
sometimes took the reading of the temperature a bit late than the required time due to lack of
alertness.
In a nutshell, this experiment is a very simple experiment, whereby the most
important thing is to be alert and have patience in waiting for the right time to take the
temperature readings. Thus, we gained a lot from this experiment and hopefully we will do
better in the coming experiments.

References
1. Y.A Cengel & R. H. Turner (2005). Fundamentals of Thermal-Fluid Sciences,
McGraw Hill
2. Y. A Cengel (1997). Introduction to Thermodynamics and Heat Transfer, McGraw
Hill

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