Development of thermal conductivity measurement for fluids which is convenient and effective for samples near the critical point

A method of thermal conductivity measurement was developed using a thermoel ectric module. The measurement is very convenient and simple, and has suffi cient accuracy for common gaseous samples and liquids that are not electric ally conductive. Moreover, the method is applicable to samples near the cri tical point and in the supercritical region. The isotherm of the thermal co nductivity of CO2 near the critical temperature was measured as an example and the divergence of the values, the so-called "critical enhancement," was observed.