Optimizing thermal diffusivity measurements for fluids with accessible 3D printing and Arduino-based temperature...

Area of Science:

• Physics
• Materials Science
• Engineering

Background:

• Accurate measurement of thermal properties like thermal diffusivity is crucial for various scientific and engineering applications.
• Traditional instruments for measuring thermal diffusivity can be expensive and complex.
• Additive manufacturing offers a pathway to create novel, cost-effective scientific instrumentation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a novel instrument, the Thermal Wave Resonator Cavity, for measuring fluid thermal diffusivity.
• To enhance the instrument's performance through the integration of an Arduino-based temperature control system.
• To assess the impact of temperature control on the reliability and reproducibility of thermal diffusivity measurements.

Main Methods:

• Construction of a Thermal Wave Resonator Cavity using additive manufacturing (3D printing).
• Integration of a custom temperature control system utilizing an Arduino microcontroller.
• Experimental measurement of distilled water's thermal diffusivity with and without the temperature control system.
• Validation of measurements against established literature values at various temperatures.

Main Results:

• The temperature-controlled system demonstrated significantly improved reliability and reproducibility in thermal diffusivity measurements compared to the uncontrolled system.
• Measurements of water's thermal diffusivity correlated well with previously reported literature values across different temperatures.
• The 3D-printed instrument, coupled with Arduino control, proved to be a cost-effective solution.

Conclusions:

• The developed Thermal Wave Resonator Cavity with integrated temperature control offers a precise and reliable method for measuring fluid thermal diffusivity.
• This innovative approach democratizes access to high-quality thermal measurement capabilities by leveraging affordable and accessible technologies.
• The study highlights the potential of additive manufacturing and microcontrollers in advancing scientific instrumentation for broader research applications.