Simultaneous determination of specific heat capacity and thermal conductivity using the finite-difference method

Thermal conductivity and specific heat capacity and their variation with moisture content were determined for twigs of yerba mate (flex paraguariensis Saint Hilaire). For the simultaneous determination of these two properties, transient heating data and the finite-difference method were used to determine the specific heat capacity and steady-state data to determine the thermal conductivity The values of thermal conductivity varied between 0.137 and 0.519 W/m K and those of specific heat capacity between 1.63 and 3.22 kJ/kg K for moisture contents that varied between approximately 4 and 60 wt% (wet basis). The values obtained were fitted to theoretical models and other empirical equations. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Limited.