Ethanol is a simple alcohol with the formula C2H6O . Ethanol can be produced either naturally through fermentation (e.g., sugar) or through petrochemical processes such as ethylene hydration.
The organic chemical compound is found in alcoholic beverages and is mostly used as a solvent in medicine (disinfectant), the chemical industry and as an energy carrier.
The measurement described here involves the investigation of thermal conductivity of an aqueous solution containing a small amount of ethanol.
For the measurement, the THB sensor with a metal frame (THB/Sensor/B/Metal), which is ideally suited for liquids, was suspended in the ethanol-water solution, as shown in the figure above.
The measurement was performed several times at room temperature. The determined thermal conductivity is 0.481 W/mK ± 0.006 W/mK. For comparison: The thermal conductivity of water is 0.60 W/mK, and that of ethanol is 0.17 W/mK.
The small amount of ethanol in the water reduces its thermal conductivity.
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