EVALUATION OF HEAT AND MOISTURE TRANSFER PROPERTIES IN A FROZEN UNFROZEN WATER-SOIL SYSTEM

An experimental study of heat and mass transfer in a moist unsaturated sand has been carried out by maintaining the two ends of a sample column at temperatures of -5 and 30 degrees C, respectively. Measurements of temperature have been made as a function of distance from the cold end and time, along with effective thermal conductivity and liquid water distribution at the end of the experiment. Comparison of the measured thermal conductivity values shows close agreement with calculated values from an effective continuous model (Singh er al.). Evaluation of thermal and moisture diffusion coefficients has been done from measured steady-state temperature and moisture profiles. A dryout condition has also been determined from the evaluation of heat and moisture transfer properties.