The goal of this project was to design, construct, and test a hot plate in the shape of a "V." The angles between the two hot plate sides are 45, 68, 90 and 180. The hot plate follows the same temperature criteria as the ASTM E2120 standard, whereby it can heat up uniformly within +/- five degrees Celsius. An array of 16 thermocouples was used to test the hot plate for uniformity in addition a thermal imaging camera was used. A numerical model was also implemented to test the influence of geometry on the temperature across the surface of the hot plate. The hot plate was tested with Pittsburgh seam coal dust to measure the ignition temperature of coal in a wedge shaped geometry. Further testing will be conducted to characterize the hazard of ignition of coal when trapped in a corner.

• This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.

Creator

• Desrosier, John David
• Andrews, Alexander Singer

Publisher

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Identifier

• E-project-042909-093510

Advisor

• Rangwala, Ali S.

Year

• 2009

Date created

• 2009-04-29

Resource type

• Major Qualifying Project

Major

• Mechanical Engineering

Rights statement

• In Copyright

Last modified

• 2021-02-02