Thermal Conductivity Tests

Increasing interest in alternative sources of energy which include using the ground as a heat source has led to our recent research and development of laboratory based thermal cell technologies. A typical use for this has included clients wanting to calculate the thermal characteristics of building foundations for the installation of efficient Ground Source Heat Pumps systems (GSHP).

This development enables ESG to test the thermal conductivity of the ground to provide a comparative calculation for the specific heat generated or stored in the ground by mass materials. The result? Greater accuracy over traditional in situ methods which are unable to account for variable ground conditions. 

The utilities sector has also benefited from our research and development in this area whereby the testing has helped with the understanding of the insulating affects on underground structures such as electric cables. 

Soils and rocks up to 100mm diameter x 100mm long are tested unlike very localised measurements in the conventional needle probe test which is also available.