Heat exchange in adiabatic calorimeters

Abstract

Heat flow in adiabatic calorimeters of various shapes and materials is described in terms of linear partial differential equations. From these equations it is deduced that in the intermittent heating method the heat exchange between the calorimeter and the adiabatic shield due to transients at the beginning and end of the heating period can be made to cancel. The remaining heat exchange is the same for intermittent or continuous heating methods and can be treated as the sum of effects due to gradients set up by heat flow (1) from the shield to the environment and (2) from the shield and calorimeter heaters to raise the temperatures of the shield and calorimeter, respectively. The first effect can be accounted for by measurements during fore and after periods in intermittent calorimetry and by varying the heating rate in continuous calorimetry. Under certain conditions the second effect can be accounted for by measurements with the empty calorimeter. Variation in heating rate fails as a test for the magnitude of the second effect.