Re: Heating tape

[brian whatcott <inet@intellisys.net>]

At 11:52 10/10/98 +0000, Bill Rachinger wrote:
> To MEASURE the coefficient of expansion you need to ensure that the 
> rod is at a uniform temperature-- a very difficult proposition using 
> a heating tape or coil given the end losses from the rod by 
> convection and radiation 

I suppose we are straying somewhat from the area of demonstrations
towards NBS, er NIST topics.
 Here, condensing steam and ice water have the virtue of closely 
maintained temperature. But an underused mechanism comes to mind:
the heatpipe.
  The setup would now involve a sealed copper pipe with an internal wick
 and a little low pressure liquid, could be water....
    The heating tape, bunsen burner or whatever now sees a tube whose 
thermal conductivity is far greater than even a solid copper rod of the 
same dimensions.
   That would indeed hold a much lower thermal gradient along the
 test object.

brian whatcott <inet@intellisys.net>
Altus OK