Error Analysis of Heat Pulse Method for Measuring Soil Heat Capacity, Diffusivity, and Conductivity

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Abstract
A dual‐probe heat pulse (DPHP) method was developed recently that allows for the simultaneous, automated measurement of soil thermal diffusivity (κ), volumetric heat capacity (ρc), and thermal conductivity (λ). Estimation of thermal properties is based on theory for the conduction of heat away from an infinite line source (ILS) that is heated for a short period of time. In this study, we examined possible sources of error in the use of the ILS theory by comparing it with other models that explicitly account for finite length and cylindrical shape of the actual heater. For probe geometry and heating times typical of our experimental work, the analysis of model error showed that assuming an infinite length for a heat source of finite length caused errors c estimates are sensitive to measurement error in probe spacing (r), but λ is unaffected by error in r. Estimates of κ and λ were shown to be sensitive to measurement error in the time to the temperature maximum (tm), whereas ρc was affected only slightly by such error.

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