An experimental and theoretical study of the nonlinear heat conduction in dry porous media

Heat transfer in porous media is important in various engineering fields, i ncluding contaminated soil incineration. Most heat transfer models are theo retical in nature. Consequently, this study was undertaken to perform both theoretical and experimental studies of heat transfer in two different sand matrices. A mathematical model based on Fourier's law of heat conduction f or a one-dimensional system with the variable thermal conductivity was deve loped. The experimental part included heating sand samples placed in a smal l reactor within an infrared furnace. The transient temperature profiles of the sand layers were monitored by thermocouples. The bulk thermal conducti vity was estimated to be linearly proportional to the temperature. The temp erature profiles predicted by the model of heat conduction with a variable bulk thermal conductivity was compared by the observed temperatures in Quar tz and Sea sands matrices up to 1300 K. Copyright (C) 1999 John Wiley & Son s, Ltd.