Influence of variables in the determination of the coefficient of thermal conductivity in expanded polystyrene specimens.

Abstract

The research and analysis of bibliography related to the heat flow method to evaluate the thermal conductivity of a material, a methodology that uses the HFM-446 equipment, was started. The objective is to compare results and procedures to define variables that affect the determination of this coefficient. Two expanded polystyrene specimens, a very thermally insulating material, were formed and the variables to be analyzed were defined. Each specimen was dried, weighed, measured and tested by the team. The variables included surfaces, temperatures and use or non-use of the equipment's instrument kit as appropriate to their thermal resistance. The tests were completed and the results could be compared with each other and the influence of each variable could be analyzed. It will be said that the larger the surface, the better the results and vice versa. The use or not of the kit should be taken into account accordingly. The higher the temperature, the conductivity increases linearly.