A portable transient line source meter, the TLS-100 instrument is used to measure thermal conductivity and thermal resistivity, both in the field and in the laboratory. Designed for testing the thermal conductivity of soil, polymers, and other soft materials; as well as testing the thermal conductivity of concrete, rock, stone, or other hard materials. Tests can be performed with the push of a button and results are displayed immediately.
The TLS-100 is a portable thermal conductivity meter used to measure thermal conductivity and thermal resistivity at the push of a button. Each TLS-100 comes equipped with a 100 mm sensor for testing soil, polymers, and other soft materials. An optional 50 mm sensor was designed for testing harder materials, like rock and concrete. The collected data is automatically analyzed, and results are displayed instantly.
The Transient Line Source (TLS) follows ASTM D5334-14. The sensor needle consists of a thin heating wire and temperature sensor sealed in a 100 or 50 mm steel tube. To perform a measurement, the sensor is fully inserted into an isothermal sample and heat is delivered to the sample using a constant current source (q). The temperature rise is recorded over a defined period of time, and the slope (a) from a plot of temperature rise versus the logarithm of time is used to calculate the thermal conductivity (k). For samples of higher thermal conductivity, the slope will be lower. The lower the thermal conductivity of a sample, the higher the slope.
| Materials | Soil, Rock, Concrete, & Polymers |
| Measurement Capabilities | Bulk Properties |
| Thermal Conductivity | 0.1 to 5 W/m•K |
| Thermal Resistivity | 0.2 to 10 m•K/W |
| Measurement Time | 3 min. (100 mm) / 5 min. (50 mm) |
| Reproducibility | Typically better than 2% |
| Accuracy | Typically better than 5% |
| Temperature Range | -40°C to 100°C |
| Smallest Sample (100 mm) | 50 mm (diameter or square) x 100 mm |
| Smallest Sample (50 mm) | 50 mm (diameter or square) x 50 mm |
| Largest Sample Size | Unlimited |
| Standards | ASTM D5334-14, & IEEE 442-1981 |
Method is continually improved; specifications are subject to change without prior notice.
*Requires chilled circulator.
The TLS-100 comes with the standard 100 mm sensor for testing for the thermal conductivity of soil, soft materials, and easy to drill materials. The needle sensor is fully inserted into an isothermal sample and a measurement is made with the push of a button. In 180 seconds, results are displayed for thermal conductivity and thermal resistivity. Saved results can also be exported to a computer, via Micro-SD card or USB connection.
Thermal Dryout Curves soil can be prepared by measuring the thermal conductivity of a sample at different moisture contents as the sample dries from saturation. The typical approach involves drying the soil by heating it at an elevated temperature to speed up the drying process. Sample is removed, weighed, and measured for thermal conductivity at different time intervals until the sample is fully dried.
The 50 mm sensor was designed for testing thermal conductivity of concrete, rock, and other hard samples. Drilling the required 4 mm diameter x 50 mm hole in rigid samples is easy with the included masonry drill bit. When testing hard samples, a contact grease is used to improve contact between the sensor and sample.
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