Equipment for the Experimental Determination of Thermal Properties of Fluids at Elevated Pressures

The available methods for determining the thermal properties of compressible fluids by flow calorimetry are reviewed and an analysis is given for the method of determining heat capacity ratios by passing the fluid at low and high pressures through a heat exchanger. The design of the heat exchanger calorimeter and its associated equipment are described in detail. The performance of the equipment in determining the heat capacities of nitrogen was evaluated at temperatures of 60.2, 75.7, and 150.4 deg C and at pressures up to 2200 psi. The results were compared where possible with those of other workers. Agreement was within about ±0.5 percent which is the anticipated accuracy of the method.