A Simplified Hot Plate Apparatus

Abstract

An apparatus which can measure the thermal insulation of textiles by a much simpler method than the standard hot-plate method is described. It consists of a block of metal surrounded by a fairly massive, thermostatically controlled, aluminum guard box. The time taken for the block to cool half a degree centigrade, chosen at the temperature of the guard box, gives a measure of the insulating value. Samples for calibrating the apparatus require to be measured on the standard hot plate, but when the apparatus is once calibrated by means of these measured samples, insulation value in do units can be read off a graph when the cooling time of a sample is known.