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Title: Thermal conductivity of S. E. New Mexico rocksalt and anhydrite. [Saltcrete]

Conference ·
OSTI ID:5225868

The thermal conductivity of several rocksalt materials has been determined. Some of the materials were core samples from well AEC 8, Carlsbad, New Mexico. These samples ranged from nearly pure halite (NaCl) to nearly pure anhydrite (CaSO/sub 4/). Core sample crystallite size ranged from about 3 centimeters to essentially packed salt sand (approx. = 0.5mm). The samples exhibited thermal conductivities from approx. = 1.5 to 7.5 W/mK which depended upon purity and grain size. A one meter cube of rocksalt from the Mississippi Chemical Company's S.E. New Mexico potash mine was obtained for other experiments. The thermal conductivity of one sample from each of the orthogonal directions of the cube was measured. This material had a high conductivity of approx. = 8.5 W/mK and was very isotrophic. A core of rocksalt from the Morton Salt Company, Paynesville, Ohio had a thermal conductivity of 6 W/mK, which is in the upper band of the results on cores from well AEC 8. Finally, a concrete made with salt sand and rocksalt aggregate was determined to have a conductivity of approx. = 2 W/mK. A longitudinal heat flow apparatus was used to determine the thermal conductivity. An analysis of the experiment gave an accuracy within +- 15% on geological samples and within +- 10% on 304 stainless steel. 8 references, 5 figures, 2 tables.

Research Organization:
Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
AC04-76DP00789
OSTI ID:
5225868
Report Number(s):
SAND-77-0962C; CONF-770847-10; ON: DE84009049
Resource Relation:
Conference: 15. international thermal conductivity conference, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, 24 Aug 1977; Other Information: Portions are illegible in microfiche products
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English