Modeling of Effective Thermal Conductivity of Dunite Rocks as a Function of Temperature

The thermal conductivity, thermal diffusivity, and heat capacity per unit volume of dunite rocks taken from Chillas near Gilgit, Pakistan, have been measured simultaneously using the transient plane source technique. The temperature dependence of the thermal transport properties was studied in the temperature range from 303 K to 483 K. Different relations for the estimation of the thermal conductivity are applied. A proposed model for the prediction of the thermal conductivity as a function of temperature is also given. It is observed that the values of the effective thermal conductivity predicted by the proposed model are in agreement with the experimental thermal conductivity data within 9%.