Thermal diffusivity measurement by a radial heat flow method

Abstract

A method is presented whereby the thermal diffusivity of a solid is measured by observing the temperature excursion which results from a radial flow of heat. The radial heat flow is produced by the instantaneous deposition of energy on a disk region of one surface of a planar specimen. Experimental results which utilized this technique are presented for Armco iron and they are compared to results based on an axial heat flow method with a radial heat flow correction.