A Novel Approach to Determine Thermal Conductivity of Micron-Sized Fuel Particles

Abstract

A novel approach to determine absolute values of thermal conductivity of single micron-sized particles, has been developed. A particle was suspended in an electrodynamic chamber and was unevenly irradiated to impose a temperature gradient within the particle, by a focused CO₂ laser beam. Consequently, a photophoretic force was generated from which the particle thermal conductivity was determined. Maximum uncertainty was estimated to be about 25%. Thermal conductivity of highly porous char particles was measured as a function temperature, in the range of 350–1150 K, showing increase of thermal conductivity with temperature.

Keywords:

• Thermal conductivity
• coal particle
• electrodynamic chamber
• photophoretic force

Additional information

Notes on contributors

EZRA BAR-ZIV

Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]